A United Airlines aircraft suffered a serious landing incident at Orlando International Airport, Florida, after its nose wheel detached during a stormy touchdown, forcing a temporary shutdown of airport runways.
The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo operating as United Flight 2323 from Chicago O’Hare, was carrying about 200 passengers and six crew members when it encountered heavy rain and strong wind gusts while landing on January 18, 2026.
Videos shared online show the jet landing hard on the wet runway, bouncing and swerving before one of its nose wheels broke off and rolled across the tarmac. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, and airport authorities imposed a ground stop, disrupting flights at the busy airport.
Despite the frightening incident, no injuries were reported. Passengers were safely evacuated on the runway and later transported back to the terminal by buses.
Eyewitnesses described the landing as terrifying, noting a violent impact and sudden forward jolt. Severe weather conditions were reported at the time, with wind gusts exceeding 50 miles per hour as a powerful winter storm swept through central Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation to determine whether the nose wheel failure resulted from the hard landing, mechanical issues, or a combination of both. United Airlines confirmed the aircraft has been withdrawn from service and said it is cooperating fully with investigators.
Airport operations were later restored after the damaged aircraft was cleared from the runway.
