Moment US passenger jet loses wheel during takeoff forcing it to make emergency landing

Video of the plane departing shows it losing one of the six tires on its left-side main landing gear assembly seconds after takeoff

A US passenger jet was forced into an emergency landing shortly after take-off when it lost a wheel midair.

Video of a United Airlines Boeing 777 flight, which was bound for Japan, shows one of its wheels hurtling towards the ground only seconds after takeoff at Francisco International Airport, in San Francisco.

The plane made a safe emergency landing in Los Angeles once the incident was reported to the onboard pilots.

The 50 inches wide wheels weighing 120kgs landed on two parked cars, shattering a windscreen and leaving the back end of the other vehicle crumpled.

The cars, parked at Francisco International were severely damaged by the falling tire, which also broke a fence before landing in a nearby parking lot.

No injuries were reported a spokesperson for the airport confirmed.

United Airlines said the plane, which was built in 2002, was designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires.

Aviation experts said planes losing tires is a rare occurrence and not indicative of a larger safety issue.

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