An American Airlines flight was canceled Wednesday morning due to a tire issue encountered during takeoff in Tampa, Florida.
Phoenix-bound Flight 590, “experienced a mechanical issue on the runway prior to taking off,” American Airlines said in a statement per NBC News. Tampa International Airport reported that the incident took place shortly before 8 a.m.The statement clarified that the issue involved the Boeing 737-800’s tires.
Footage of the incident reveals one of the rear tires breaking apart and emitting smoke as the plane accelerates down the runway. The aircraft then promptly decelerates, aborting the takeoff.
“A blown tire,” the presumed video filmer yells in the footage. “Emergency, emergency, emergency. They’re on fire,” he observes.
Meanwhile, voices over the radio are heard saying “Abort,” and “We’ve got a blown tire.”
The Internet Reacts to the American Airlines Flight Getting Derailed Following a Tire Issue
As the footage found its way to X (formerly Twitter), denizens of the internet weighed in. Many were impressed by the quick thinking of the pilots.
“Great work by the pilots to abort the takeoff and bring the plane safely to a stop on the runway!”, one user observed. “Great job, even managed to neatly get the craft off the straight part of the runway,” another X user agreed.
“My flying days are done for a long while. This is becoming so commonplace that nobody bats an eye anymore,” a beleaguered flyer noted.
The airline reported that no injuries occurred, and all 176 passengers disembarked safely and were transported back to the terminal by bus. Additionally, six crew members were on board.
The airline announced that passengers were rebooked on a new flight departing from Tampa.
“We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” American Airlines said
Boeing came under scrutiny after one of its jetliners experienced an inflight malfunction in January. On January 5, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, relatively new, suffered a door plug blowout while flying over Oregon.
Investigators discovered that bolts essential to securing the panel were missing following a repair job at a Boeing factory. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
Whistleblowers have alleged that the company is taking shortcuts that jeopardize passenger safety, a claim Boeing denies. In April, amid the controversy, Boeing reported a $355 million loss in the first quarter due to declining revenue.
In May, the company informed federal regulators of its plans to enhance quality and safety. These measures include more frequent inspections and stricter supplier controls.