American Airlines Boeing 787’s Brakes Drag In O’Hare Emergency Landing, One Hospitalized

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An American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner arriving from Spain declared an emergency at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on Tuesday after the crew reported a problem with one of the aircraft's brakes. Flight AA41 from Barcelona landed at around 2:30 PM local time, but the aircraft stopped on the runway with damaged tires. The incident prompted a response from airport emergency crews, who were ready for the aircraft as it came in for landing.

The flight had 234 passengers and 11 crew members on board, with one person reportedly transported to a local hospital. The 787 has been taken out of service for inspection, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the latest in a series of tire-related incidents at O'Hare since August.

American Pilots Warned Of Brake Problem Before Landing

Flight AA41 was in the final stages of American's transatlantic service from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to Chicago O'Hare when the pilots reported a possible brake problem to air traffic control (ATC). Shortly before landing, one of the pilots told the controller that the aircraft had a right brake "that might be dragging," and asked for emergency crews to follow the aircraft to the gate.

However, after touching down, the jet stopped on the runway with two flat tires. Passenger John Abbate told ABC News there was a "really big boom" as the aircraft touched down, adding that the 787 remained at the end of the runway for some time before the captain announced that its tires had blown.

First responders then met the aircraft, while passengers deplaned using stairs and were transported to the terminal by bus. According to the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), it took one person to a local hospital in a reported "good condition." It has not been confirmed whether the person taken to the hospital was a passenger or crew member.

How A Dragging Brake Can Damage Aircraft Tires

A dragging brake remains applied when the crew has not activated it, creating friction on a wheel that should be turning freely. During landing, this can slow or lock the wheel while the aircraft is still moving at high speed, causing the tire to scrape along the runway or generate a dangerous amount of heat.

A locked wheel can potentially cause a tire to fail under the stress of landing, while excessive heat can also affect the brake assembly. Aircraft wheels are also fitted with plugs designed to melt at high temperatures, releasing tire pressure to reduce the risk of a more dangerous blowout.

American has not explained what caused the brake problem, while the FAA has not released further details about the condition of the aircraft or the extent of the damage. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft involved — an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 registered as N806AA — remains on the ground in Chicago.

The Latest Tire Incident At Chicago O'Hare

Tuesday's incident follows a series of tire-related problems at Chicago O'Hare in recent months. On August 13, a United Airlines flight had to abort its takeoff after blowing tires, while two separate incidents on August 17 — involving American flight AA386 and United flight UA739 — both resulted in blown tires after landing.

Four days later, an American Boeing 737-800 suffered a tire failure while taxiing to the gate. Further incidents followed on August 25 and 26, when a Republic Airlines flight reported a braking problem and American AA3280 blew two right main gear tires while taxiing for departure. The repeated failures have drawn attention to the cluster of tire-related incidents at Chicago's busiest airport, although investigators have not established a shared cause.