A United Airlines plane had to make an emergency landing after it lost a tyre during takeoff.

The aircraft bound for Osaka, Japan, had barely left San Francisco airport when the Boeing 777-200's wheel came off.

The plane, carrying 235 passengers and a crew of 14, had to quickly land at Los Angeles Airport after it was alerted to the landing gear failure.

Shocking footage of a car crumpled under the weight of the plane tyre has circulated online.

The back of the vehicle, parked at San Francisco airport carpark, has been completely crushed.

No one was injured during the incident.

Fire engines stood by but were not needed as the Boeing 777 made an uneventful landing.

Airport spokesperson Dae Levine said the aircraft landed safely two-thirds of the way down a runway.

"The 777-200 has six tyres on each of its two main landing gear struts. The aircraft is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tyres," United said.

An investigation into the incident has been launched by the Federal Aviation Administration.