CHICAGO (WLS) — Federal authorities are investigating after an American Airlines flight from Barcelona experienced a flat tire following a reported brake problem while landing at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines, Flight 41 landed safely before a tire blew out after landing. The Boeing 787 was carrying 234 passengers and 11 crew members.
ABC7 Chicago is now broadcast 24/7. Click here to watch
Passengers disembarked and were bussed to the terminal, a scene that has occurred at Chicago-area airports in previous incidents involving commercial aircraft tires.
Passenger John Abbate described the moment the plane landed.
“As soon as we landed, it was loud. There was a really big boom when we landed on the runway. It was really rough,” Abbate said.
He said the captain then informed passengers of the problem.
“And then the captain announced that there were flat tires on the side of the plane,” Abbate said.
Air traffic control audio captured during the incident indicated the crew was aware of a potential brake problem.
“We have a right brake that may be hanging around. We’d like them to follow us to the gate,” a pilot said in the transmission.
Erik Baker, a professor of aviation and transportation at Lewis University, said the reported brake problem could be an important clue for investigators.
“When a stuck wheel or a stuck brake locks the wheel, you’re going to blow the tire. And so, they were aware of that potential. They had a braking indication. They alerted the tower. They knew that would be the potential outcome,” Baker said.
Baker said this sets this incident apart from several tire-related events reported at O’Hare earlier this year.
On August 26, an American Airlines flight to Charlotte was delayed after two tires blew out while taxiing for departure. Additional tire incidents occurred on August 17 involving two aircraft, as well as another incident on August 13.
The Chicago Department of Aviation told ABC7 in August that it was working with the FAA to determine the cause of these incidents.
Baker said that while the recent spate of tire-related events has attracted attention, tire failures themselves are not uncommon in aviation.
“It’s probably a common thing that happens just because we fly so much and … the density of plane departures and landings is very high,” Baker said.
The cause of the reported brake issue and tire blowout remains under investigation. American Airlines said the plane was taken out of service for inspection.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All rights reserved.
Gn bussni
