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New troubles for Boeing. A United Airlines Boeing 737 lost an exterior panel during a flight Friday. The damage to the Boeing 737-800 was discovered during an inspection after the plane from San Francisco landed safely with 139 passengers and six crew members on board in the southern Oregon city of Medford , United Airlines said.
The plane would be 25 years old. “After the plane was parked at the gate, it was discovered that an external panel was missing. We will perform a thorough examination of the aircraft and make any necessary repairs before it returns to service,” United said in a statement. “We will also conduct an investigation to better understand how the damage occurred.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the matter. Boeing is currently under intense scrutiny after a nearly new 737-9 Max plane lost part of its fuselage while climbing after takeoff in January.