United Airlines' long-serving Boeing 767, which has been flying since 1991, is facing the possibility of being written off following a hard landing at Houston on July 29. The aircraft, one of the airline's 37 767-300ERs, arrived from Newark with 193 passengers and 11 crew on board, all of whom thankfully escaped injury. However, the fuselage skin buckled and tore during the landing, leading to serious damage.
The specifics surrounding the landing mishap have not been disclosed, but the crew safely taxied the aircraft to the gate after the event. Ground crews discovered the extent of the damage, and the plane remains grounded in Houston.
United Airlines had planned for the 767 to continue its operations until approximately 2030, at which point it would be replaced by the more modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The airline has a substantial order of 100 Dreamliners to replace its fleet of 767s and first-generation Boeing 777-200s. However, with the recent incident, the fate of United's oldest 767 now hangs in the balance, and it might be deemed beyond repair.
