An American Airlines Flight 41 from Barcelona landed safely at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday afternoon but experienced a brake issue followed by a blown tire, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Boeing 787-800 aircraft, carrying 234 passengers and 11 crew members, declared an emergency after landing and stopped on the runway. Passengers were deplaned via stairs on the tarmac and transported to the terminal by bus. No injuries were reported.
Immediate Response & Safety Measures
The FAA confirmed the incident and stated it is investigating the cause. The airline took the aircraft out of service for inspection by its maintenance team. American Airlines issued a statement apologizing to customers for the disruption.
A passenger, John Abbate, described the landing as "real rough" and reported hearing a "really big boom" upon touchdown. The captain later announced the blown tires on the port side of the plane.
Official Statements & Investigative Steps
The FAA’s statement noted that the crew reported a brake issue before the blown tire occurred. The aircraft remained on the runway briefly while first responders met the plane "out of an abundance of caution."
American Airlines stated:
"The aircraft has been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. We thank our team members for their professionalism and we apologize to our customers for their experience."
Flight Details & Aftermath
Flight 41 departed from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport and arrived at O’Hare around 2:30 p.m. local time. The airline did not specify the duration of the inspection or when the aircraft would return to service.
The Chicago Fire Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FAA has not provided further updates on the investigation.