Why British Airways BA274 Braved the Atlantic After Losing a Tire

LONDON – Aviation investigators and social media sleuths are today, January 28, 2026, dissecting a remarkable trans-Atlantic crossing that saw a British Airways widebody aircraft shed a main landing-gear wheel shortly after takeoff, only to continue its nine-hour journey to a safe landing in the United Kingdom.

The incident, which occurred late Monday evening, January 26, involved Flight BA274, an Airbus A350-1000 (Registration: G-XWBN) departing from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas. While some initial reports erroneously placed the departure in Los Angeles, official flight tracking data and airport authorities have confirmed the Vegas-to-London route was the scene of the mid-air separation.

The Viral Departure

The incident was captured with startling clarity by a Flightradar24 automated livestream. As the 2.7-year-old aircraft performed its full-length takeoff roll on Runway 26R at approximately 9:06 p.m. local time, visible sparks began to shower from the right main landing gear bogie.

Moments after rotation, as the flight crew selected "gear up," the right-rear, outer wheel detached entirely from the aircraft, hurtling back toward the tarmac. While the sight was enough to cause "horror" among livestream viewers, the aircraft continued its climb toward its initial cruising altitude of 37,000 feet.

“Safety and security underpins everything we do, and we're supporting the authorities with their investigations,” a British Airways spokesperson stated today.

Engineering Redundancy

To the casual observer, flying 5,229 miles over the Atlantic Ocean with a missing wheel sounds like a high-stakes gamble. However, for the Airbus A350-1000, the math of redundancy favours the flight crew’s decision to proceed to their primary maintenance base at Heathrow.

Aviation analysts note that the A350-1000 is certified to land safely even with multiple tyres deflated or missing on the same bogie. By continuing to London, the airline avoided the operational nightmare of stranding hundreds of passengers in Nevada and was able to place the aircraft directly into the hands of its specialised long-haul engineering teams.

Safe Landing and Investigation

Following an uneventful nine-hour and 17-minute crossing, BA274 touched down on Runway 09L at London Heathrow (LHR) at 2:23 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, January 27. Emergency services were on standby as a standard precaution, but the aircraft taxied to Terminal 5 without assistance.

The detached tyre was recovered from the airfield in Las Vegas by airport operations. Monika Bertaki, a spokesperson for Harry Reid International Airport, confirmed:

“The tyre was retrieved from the LAS airfield. There were no reported injuries or damage to airport property.”

The aircraft remains on the ground at Heathrow today, January 28, as the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) begins a formal review into the cause of the separation, likely focusing on the wheel bearing and axle assembly of the relatively new airframe.