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American Airlines Flight From Barcelona Blows Two Tires Landing at Chicago O'Hare
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In brief
American Airlines Flight 41, a Boeing 787 arriving from Barcelona-El Prat, blew two tires while landing at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after its crew reported a dragging right brake moments before touchdown. None of the 245 people aboard was hurt during the landing; one passenger was later taken to hospital for an unrelated illness. The FAA has opened an investigation.
American Airlines Flight 41, a transatlantic service from Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Spain to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, blew two tires on touchdown after its crew warned air traffic controllers of a possible brake problem. The Boeing 787 carried 234 passengers and 11 crew members, 245 people in total, according to American Airlines and Spanish daily Libertad Digital.
What the crew reported before landing
Shortly before touchdown, one of the pilots radioed air traffic control that the aircraft's right brake might be dragging and asked for emergency crews to follow the jet to the gate, according to ABC7 Chicago, which cited the pilot's radio transmission. Aviation analyst Erik Baker, also quoted by ABC7 Chicago, said a locked brake typically precedes a tire failure, suggesting the crew anticipated the outcome when they made the call.
The plane landed and came to a stop on the runway with two flat tires. A passenger told CBS News Chicago the touchdown produced a loud boom unlike anything heard on a normal landing. Because the aircraft could not taxi normally, passengers deplaned using stairs on the tarmac and were bused to the terminal, delaying their access to checked luggage.
Passengers, injuries and airline response
The FAA said no serious injuries resulted from the landing. One passenger was taken to a local hospital by the Chicago Fire Department as a precaution, but according to both Libertad Digital and CBS News Chicago, that passenger had fallen ill during the flight rather than being hurt by the tire failure, and was reported in good condition.
American Airlines said it was pulling the Boeing 787 from service for a full technical inspection by its maintenance team. The airline stated, according to CBS News Chicago: "We thank our team members for their professionalism and we apologize to our customers for their experience." The FAA confirmed it is investigating the cause of the brake issue and tire damage but has not released further details.
A pattern of tire incidents at O'Hare
The October 20 incident is not isolated. CBS News Chicago reported that at least four aircraft suffered blown tires while taxiing or landing at O'Hare during a two-week span in August 2026, and ABC7 Chicago listed tire-related incidents on August 13, 17 and 26. The Chicago Department of Aviation has been working with the FAA to look into those earlier cases.
| Date | What is known | Source |
|---|---|---|
| August 13, 2026 | Tire-related incident during taxiing or landing | ABC7 Chicago |
| August 17, 2026 | Tire-related incident during taxiing or landing | ABC7 Chicago |
| August 26, 2026 | Tire-related incident during taxiing or landing | ABC7 Chicago |
| October 20, 2026 | American Airlines Flight 41 from Barcelona blows two tires after reported brake drag on landing | CBS News Chicago; Libertad Digital |
Reporting on the exact timing of the October incident varies slightly between outlets. CBS News Chicago placed the landing at around 2:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 20, while ABC7 Chicago described the event as occurring in the early morning hours of October 21. Both outlets agree on the flight number, route and passenger count.
What remains unknown
Neither American Airlines nor the FAA has published a cause for the reported brake malfunction, and no timeline for the investigation's conclusion has been given. It is also not yet confirmed whether the October 20 incident is mechanically linked to the earlier August tire failures at O'Hare, though the Chicago Department of Aviation and the FAA are reviewing the airport's recent history of similar events.
Questions
- What flight was involved in the O'Hare tire blowout?
- It was American Airlines Flight 41, a Boeing 787 flying from Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Spain to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, according to Libertad Digital and CBS News Chicago.
- Was anyone injured when the plane's tires blew out?
- The FAA said no serious injuries resulted from the landing. One passenger was taken to a hospital as a precaution, but CBS News Chicago and Libertad Digital both reported that person had become ill during the flight rather than being hurt in the landing.
- What caused the tires to blow?
- The crew reported to air traffic control that the aircraft's right brake might be dragging shortly before landing; an aviation analyst cited by ABC7 Chicago said a locked brake typically causes tire failure, but the FAA has not yet confirmed an official cause.
- How many people were on board the flight?
- The aircraft carried 234 passengers and 11 crew members, 245 people in total, according to American Airlines and Libertad Digital.
- Has this happened before at O'Hare?
- Yes. CBS News Chicago and ABC7 Chicago reported at least three to four tire-related incidents involving aircraft taxiing or landing at O'Hare during August 2026, which the Chicago Department of Aviation and the FAA have been reviewing.
How the world is telling it
- SpanishSpanish outlets such as Libertad Digital framed the story around the Barcelona-El Prat origin of the flight, emphasizing that the aircraft was en route from Spain and detailing the brake warning, the hospitalization of one passenger, and the FAA investigation, with less focus on O'Hare's broader history of tire incidents.
Sources
- Libertad Digital — Un avión procedente de Barcelona sufre una avería en las ruedas al tomar tierra en Chicago
- ABC7 Chicago — Crew reported brake problem before tire blew out on flight at Chicago airport, officials say
- CBS News Chicago — American Airlines plane lands at Chicago O'Hare with blown tire, brake issue
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
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