A Delta Air Lines flight aboard a Boeing aircraft lost its nose tire moments before it was supposed to take off from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Saturday, according to air traffic control audio posted online.
The Delta Boeing 757 was cleared for takeoff and was taxiing on the runway when one of the nose wheels came loose and rolled off the runway behind the aircraft and down an embankment, according to the audio posted online by VASAviation.
"The 75 on the runway just lost the nose tire," a pilot, who identified themselves as being on the plane behind the Boeing 757, said over the radio.
"Thanks for that … sounds like we got a problem," the 757 pilot responds.
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"Yeah, we saw that tire roll off the runway to the south," the other pilot says. "Looks like it went off the runway, probably down the bank down there."
The pilots and air traffic control can be heard discussing getting a maintenance crew out onto the runway to locate the tire as other aircraft preparing for takeoff were forced to wait behind the disabled plane.
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Eventually, the other planes were rerouted while the Delta Boeing 757 was forced to sit on the runway for about three hours while waiting to be towed, according to VASAviation.
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Both Boeing and Hartsfield-Jackson airport told FOX Business that they have deferred to Delta for comment. Delta did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
