An American Airlines plane leaving from Tampa, Florida, abruptly aborted takeoff on Wednesday after a tire blew, producing flames and smoke seconds from departure.
The incident occurred Wednesday morning at the Tampa International Airport. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, was set to take off to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona before 8:00 a.m.
A video shows the plane gaining speed on the runway and a sudden spark with smoke appearing near the tires. A trail of smoke and flashes of flames can be seen emerging from the plane as the pilots abort takeoff.
Plane spotter Capt. Steven Markovich can be heard yelling, “Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! They’re on fire!” in the video.
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According to reports, everyone aboard was able to exit the plane with no injuries.
American Airlines spokesperson Ethan Klapper said the plane suffered what the Tampa Bay Times described as a “mechanical issue related to the tire before takeoff.”
“Customers safely deplaned and were bussed to the terminal,” Klapper stated. “We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Boeing has remained under scrutiny for months over ongoing issues, and this is not the only tire-related incident as of late, as a Boeing plane carrying 174 passengers lost a tire in midair before its takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport in July.
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The plane was a United Airlines Boeing 757-200, and, despite the incident, the plane landed safely in Denver, Colorado.
Similarly, in March, a Boeing 777-200 taking off from San Francisco lost a tire after taking off. It was carrying 249 passengers. While the flight, originally en route to Japan, had to be diverted, it landed safely at the Los Angeles International Airport.
In May, a Boeing 737 had to return to Japan’s Fukuoka Airport in an emergency landing after experiencing an issue with the wing flap.
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