American Airlines and United flights suffer blown tires at Chicago O’Hare

Quick summary

American Airlines Flight 386 from New York LaGuardia landed at Chicago O’Hare around 2 p.m. on August 17, 2026 with two blown tires, triggering an emergency response and forcing approximately 180 passengers to deplane via stairs onto the runway before being bused to the terminal. No injuries were reported. The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed the incident is under investigation. Four days earlier, on August 13, a United Airlines Boeing 737-900 aborted its takeoff at the same airport after tires on the right main landing gear blew, affecting 161 passengers and six crew.

Two tire failures at O’Hare in five days — different carriers, different phases of flight — is the detail the FAA will not treat as coincidence. Investigators are now examining whether a shared runway factor, debris, or maintenance practices connect the events.

Two tire failures at Chicago O’Hare International Airport within five days have put the FAA on alert and left travelers on two of the country’s busiest domestic corridors watching for disruptions. The incidents involved different airlines, different flight phases, and different aircraft — but the same airport, and a timeline close enough that regulators will not rule out a common cause without evidence.

The FAA confirmed that American Airlines Flight 386 arrived from LaGuardia on Monday afternoon with two blown tires. Passengers deplaned on the runway and were transported by bus; the aircraft was pulled from service for inspection. American Airlines confirmed no injuries and said the plane would not return to operation until maintenance cleared it.

The earlier event, on August 13, saw United Airlines Flight 455 abort its takeoff to Phoenix after tires on the right main landing gear failed during the takeoff roll. All 167 people on board — 161 passengers and six crew — were safely off the aircraft within minutes, again via stairs and buses.

Both incidents are now subject to FAA investigation as tire-damage events, with preliminary findings described as subject to change.

What the FAA is investigating — and what it means for O’Hare operations

The FAA logs events like these as preliminary incidents in its accident and incident data system, cross-referencing with National Transportation Safety Board records when the facts warrant escalation. At this stage, no cause has been assigned to either blowout.

Tire failures in aviation trace to a short list of culprits: foreign object debris on the runway surface, underinflation, excessive wear on high-cycle aircraft, or a manufacturing defect. O’Hare’s volume — hundreds of daily operations — means its runways accumulate rubber buildup faster than most airports, and debris from one aircraft can become a hazard for the next. With two events on different carriers in the same five-day window, investigators are likely to examine whether a specific runway, a recent construction zone, or a delayed rubber-removal cycle is a shared factor.

The FAA’s preliminary data, as reported by CBS News Chicago and ABC13, does not yet identify a runway number common to both events — that detail, if confirmed, would significantly narrow the investigation’s focus.

Why the same airport, five days apart, changes the calculus

A single tire blowout at a major hub draws a maintenance review. Two blowouts — different airlines, one on landing and one during the takeoff roll — draws a runway inspection. That distinction matters because the response protocols diverge sharply: a maintenance finding stays within the airline, while a runway finding can trigger closures, rerouting of departures, and schedule padding across every carrier operating at O’Hare.

High-cycle domestic narrowbodies like the 737-900 involved in the United incident take off and land multiple times daily, stressing tires far more than long-haul widebodies on the same calendar. Airlines typically tighten inspection intervals when a pattern emerges at a specific airport — not because regulations require it immediately, but because the liability calculus shifts the moment a second event is on record.

Delays around both incidents were reported as modest — under roughly 15 minutes of direct disruption at the gate level. But if the FAA’s investigation points toward a runway surface issue, the knock-on effect for New York–Chicago and Chicago–Phoenix passengers could extend well beyond the original events: alternate runway assignments, gate changes, and conservative pilot decision-making on takeoff all add time to schedules that are already tight at one of the world’s busiest airports.

Steps for O’Hare travelers this week

The FAA investigation is active and unresolved — runway or maintenance findings could prompt short-notice schedule changes at O’Hare before the week is out.

• Track your flight the morning of departure. Gate changes and aircraft swaps are the most likely near-term disruption. Both American Airlines and United Airlines push real-time updates through their apps — enable notifications before you leave for the airport.
• Build connection buffer into O’Hare itineraries. If you’re connecting through ORD this week, a tight 45-minute connection is a liability. Runway inspections or aircraft substitutions can compress ground time without warning.
• Know the bus-deplane protocol. If your aircraft stops on the runway after landing, crew will direct you to portable stairs and a bus transfer. This is standard procedure — it keeps the aircraft away from gates while emergency crews inspect. Follow crew instructions and do not attempt to use overhead bins until directed.
• Check FAA preliminary incident data directly. The FAA’s preliminary incident records are publicly accessible and updated as investigations progress — useful if you want the regulatory picture rather than media summaries.
• Review your travel insurance terms. A safety-related delay caused by an FAA investigation is typically covered under trip delay provisions, but the trigger event must be documented. Screenshot your flight status notifications as they arrive.

Watch: The FAA’s preliminary findings on runway condition at O’Hare — expected within days to weeks — will determine whether this stays an airline maintenance matter or becomes an airport-level operational issue affecting all carriers at ORD.

Questions? Answers.