CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) faced a serious landing incident when one of its Airbus A321neo aircraft lost a nose wheel after touching down at Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The event occurred on a scheduled flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Orlando, leading to a ground stop during a peak travel period and raising questions about landing dynamics and aircraft stress.
Photo: Airbus
United A321neo Nose Wheel Lost
On Sunday, January 18, 2026, shortly after 12:30 PM local time, United Airlines flight UA2323 experienced a hard landing at Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The flight departed from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and was operated by a 2 year old Airbus A321neo registered as N14502.
The 2 hour and 19 minute flight was uneventful until arrival. Video footage shared publicly shows the aircraft encountering difficulty during touchdown.
As reported by OMAAT, the clip shared by JonNYC on X, captures the moment when a nose wheel separates from the aircraft and exits to the right side of the runway area.
Based on the video, the landing initially appeared controlled. The left main landing gear touched down first, followed by the right main gear. Moments later, the aircraft bounced sharply toward the right side of the runway. As this occurred, the left main gear briefly lifted back into the air.
During this unstable phase, the nose gear made contact with the runway before the left main gear had fully settled. This uneven load distribution placed extreme stress on the forward landing gear assembly.
Shortly afterward, one of the nose wheels detached from the aircraft. The aircraft then decelerated and came to a stop on the runway surface.
Weather conditions at the time included gusty winds. While challenging winds can affect landing stability, they do not fully explain the severity of the gear failure observed in this incident.
Photo: XFWSpotter
Operational Impact
Following the incident, Orlando International Airport (MCO) implemented an immediate ground stop.
Authorities temporarily halted all arrivals and departures to allow emergency responders to access the runway and conduct inspections.
The disruption occurred during a peak travel period for the region, increasing delays and operational strain across multiple airlines.
The operator removed the aircraft from active service. It is expected to remain grounded for an extended period while maintenance teams conduct inspections and necessary repairs.
Photo: SMBC Aviation
Questions Around Damage and Video Source
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the required repair is limited to replacing the detached wheel or if additional structural damage occurred to the nose gear assembly or surrounding fuselage area. Such determinations typically require detailed engineering inspections.
Separately, observers have drawn attention to the source of the video footage. The recording perspective suggests that someone may have filmed it from another aircraft’s flight deck or that airport operations personnel filmed it from a vehicle.
If recorded from a cockpit, it raises questions about non-essential phone use during critical phases of flight, although the footage may prove valuable to investigators reviewing the event.
Photo: Alexander Lang | Flickr
Previous Incident
This event contrasts with a 2024 United Airlines incident involving a Boeing 777 that lost a wheel shortly after departing San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
In that case, investigators believed that maintenance caused the issue rather than landing dynamics or weather conditions.
A combination of landing forces and environmental factors appears to have driven the Orlando incident, though investigative findings will determine the final cause.
Photo: Clément Alloing
Safety and Investigation Ahead
Despite the severity of the landing and visible damage, passengers and crew reported no injuries.
The aircraft stopped safely on the runway, and the crew executed emergency procedures without further escalation.
A formal review involving airline maintenance teams and aviation authorities is expected to determine the precise sequence of events and contributing factors.
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