Passengers on United Airlines Flight 1001 were in for a surprising ride when the plane lost a wheel during takeoff from LAX, but still managed a safe landing in Denver without a hitch—or a tire.

In a rare and undoubtedly hairy situation, United Airlines Flight 1001 miraculously managed to cruise to Denver with one less wheel than it started with. Although the 174 passengers and 7 crew members landed without so much as a popped ear, the mishap has prompted another federal safety review of the airline. Given the uncanny resemblance to a similar incident in March, aviation experts and agencies are now wondering if United has developed some peculiar aversion to wheels—or if it's just the airline’s new spin on 'travel light.'

United Airlines Flight 1001 took off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) only to find itself one wheel short of a full airplane soon after leaving the runway. Despite the surprising setback, the pilot and crew continued to Denver, apparently taking 'keep calm and carry on' to a whole new altitude. Fortunately, the landing was as smooth as could be hoped for, and no injuries were reported among the 174 passengers and 7 crew members.

The missing wheel, spotted by sharp-eyed ground crews at LAX, was quickly recovered, making a short journey from runway to recovery truck. United Airlines is now investigating how the wheel managed to make its grand exit and why it chose the inopportune moment of takeoff to do so. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also decided to look into the incident, adding it to their list of aviation oddities.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time United Airlines has found itself in a wheely bizarre predicament. Back in March, a Boeing 777-200, operated by the same airline, lost a wheel soon after departing from San Francisco. Like Flight 1001, that incident ended without injuries—except perhaps to the airline’s reputation and a few seats on the FAA’s ‘please explain this’ list.

Aviation expert David Evans, when asked about the phenomenon, described the loss of a plane tire as a 'rare incident,' akin to finding a needle in a haystack—and then promptly losing it again after takeoff. 'It's not something you'd expect to see twice within a span of a few months for the same airline,' he added, though he hesitated to declare it a trend. 'I mean, it’s probably not the start of a wheel-less flying fad, but it does make one wonder.'

The absence of any reported injuries on the ground is a testament to both luck and the relatively light traffic around the airport at the time. Had the wheel taken off in a different direction or during a busier moment, this tale might have included more than just puzzled stares and frantic phone calls.

United Airlines, already under federal safety review, is now facing increased scrutiny. This latest wheel-walking incident may indeed push the airline to go beyond the standard 'wheels up' check. With the FAA's vigilant eye and a dash of public curiosity, United will have to dig deep to ensure this doesn’t become a flying circus act in their already colorful media portrayal.

Expect the investigations to include meticulous inspections of maintenance routines, manufacturing checks, and perhaps a re-evaluation of tire fastenings. Amidst it all, passengers can rest assured that the aviation industry takes such events seriously—almost as seriously as the concept of having wheels firmly attached to aircraft.