American Flight Lands With Two Flat Tires

American Airlines Flight 791 landed safely at Chicago O’Hare International Airport late Tuesday after the Boeing 737 developed two flat tires, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials. The flight had departed from Miami and touched down at about 10:30 p.m. on May 12, the FAA said. No injuries were reported, and passengers were later taken off the aircraft on the taxiway and bused to the terminal, the agency said. American said the plane was taken out of service for inspection after what it described as a tire issue while taxiing to the gate. ### Did the problem happen during landing or after touchdown? American said the issue came after a normal landing. In a statement carried by ABC7 Chicago, the airline said Flight 791 “experienced a tire issue while taxing to the gate” after landing normally at O’Hare, and that all customers deplaned safely. (chicago.suntimes.com) The FAA described the sequence slightly differently. The agency said the Boeing 737 landed safely around 10:30 p.m. and that crew members reported a flat main landing gear tire, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and other local reports citing the FAA. Those reports said passengers were deplaned on the taxiway and transported by bus. (abc7chicago.com) ### Which flight was involved, and where was it coming from? Flight 791 was operating from Miami International Airport to O’Hare, according to the FAA and local television reports. ABC7 Chicago identified the aircraft as American Airlines flight AAL791, while the FAA said it was a Boeing 737. Chicago police confirmed to CBS News Chicago that the plane had two flat tires when it landed. (chicago.suntimes.com) CBS reported that video from the runway showed a large emergency response around the aircraft overnight. ### Why were passengers bused to the terminal instead of going to a gate? The FAA said passengers were deplaned on the taxiway, not at a gate. ABC7 Chicago reported that travelers exited using a portable staircase before boarding a shuttle bus to the terminal. (abc7chicago.com) Passengers told local outlets they waited well over an hour before getting off the aircraft. (cbsnews.com) Fox 32 Chicago reported that some travelers said they remained on board for about an hour, while other accounts carried by New York Post and travel sites said the delay was closer to two hours. Those accounts were attributed to passengers and local media, not to the airline or the FAA. (abc7chicago.com) ### Were there any injuries or broader operational disruptions? Chicago police said no injuries were reported. The FAA and American also said passengers deplaned safely. Video cited by local outlets showed multiple emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft on the airfield, but the publicly available reports did not indicate runway closures of a stated duration or wider cancellations directly tied to the incident. (fox32chicago.com) ### What has American Airlines said about the aircraft? American said the aircraft was removed from service for inspection by its maintenance team. (cbsnews.com) In the statement reported by ABC7 Chicago, the airline apologized to customers and said it appreciated the professionalism of its staff. The company did not, in the reports reviewed, say publicly what caused the tire failure or whether both tires went flat at the same time. (cbsnews.com) The available statements described the event as a tire issue and said the plane would be inspected. ### What happens next in the investigation? The FAA said it is investigating the incident. (abc7chicago.com) Local reports citing the agency said investigators will review the landing and the tire problem that left the aircraft unable to continue to the gate under normal operations. American’s next step is the aircraft inspection. The airline said its maintenance team would examine the Boeing 737 after it was taken out of service, while the FAA’s review will determine whether any additional safety findings or enforcement steps are warranted. (abc7chicago.com) (chicago.suntimes.com)