Wheel FALLS OFF Boeing Dreamlifter after taking off in Italy and heading to US

A Boeing has dramatically lost one of its 100kg wheels during take-off, falling away from the plane seconds after it had left the runway.

The loose wheel detached from the Dreamlifter aircraft and plummeted back down to earth with a trail of smoke behind it at Taranto airport in Italy.

After hitting the ground, footage shows the 4ft-diameter tyre spin off down the asphalt as the plane continues to climb at the start of its flight to Charleston.

A Boeing has dramatically lost a 100kg wheel during take-off as it shot off the plane with a trail of smoke behind it seconds after the aircraft took to the skies

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The N718BA Atlas Air flight was departing Taranto for Charleston, North Carolina at 09.09am yesterday

The smoking wheel detached from the Dreamlifter aircraft and dropped down to earth, bouncing on the grass at Taranto airport in Italy

The missing part – from the aircraft’s main landing gear – was later found in a nearby vineyard outside the confines of the airport in southern Italy. 

The N718BA Atlas Air flight was departing Taranto for Charleston, North Carolina at 09.09am yesterday.

Despite the malfunction, the plane landed safely in the US.

Boeing told Simple Flying yesterday: ‘A Dreamlifter cargo flight operated by Atlas Air landed safely earlier today at Charleston International Airport, after losing a wheel assembly from its landing gear on takeoff from the Taranto-Grottaglie Airport in Italy this morning. 

‘We will support our operator’s investigation.’ 

Footage shows one of the four-foot diameter wheels from the main landing gear spin off and hurtle back to ground

The missing part was later found in a nearby vineyard outside the confines of the airport in southern Italy after it bounced away

The plane was flying a passenger Boeing 787 fuselage on board, according to Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera.

The outsized 747-400 Dreamlifter was designed to transport parts between Italy, Japan and the US and was used to fly medical supplies during the Covid pandemic.

Investigators from the National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV) is probing the mishap and will decide whether to open a formal investigation.

The cargo plane has an enlarged 28ft fuselage to carry large goods, and its maiden voyage was in 2006.