A 100 kilogram wheel fell off of a Boeing 747-400 'Dreamlifter' seconds after the plane took off from Taranto, Italy for the US.

Despite the loss of the equipment, the crew were able to safely land the plane in Charleston, South Carolina.

It is still unclear what led to the detachment of the plane's wheel, which crashed violently into the ground, and the aviation authorities in Italy have launched an investigation in cooperation with the Boeing Company in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The dramatic event was captured by security cameras, which recorded how the wheel detached from the plane's body and crashed to the ground.

Boeing said in a statement: "A Dreamlifter cargo flight operated by Atlas Air landed safely earlier today at Charleston International Airport after losing one of its landing gear during takeoff from Taranto-Grottaglie in Italy this morning. We will support the investigation launched by our operator,"

The Dreamlifter plane is considered the longest cargo plane in the world and it has 18 landing and takeoff wheels. It is primarily used to carry parts for the Boeing Company located in Arlington, Virginia. No one was injured during the incident, and the wheel was later recovered by airport workers in Italy.