United Pilot Slams on Brakes in Scary Takeoff Emergency

A United Airlines pilot aborted takeoff after the plane suffered two blown tires, according to air traffic control audio cited by ABC News. The Boeing 737-900 was departing Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Thursday when the incident occurred. United said 161 customers and six crew members were on board the 18-year-old plane. All passengers and crew evacuated safely on the runway before being bused to the terminal. The pilot allegedly slammed on the brakes, while a pilot on a nearby plane said he saw “chunks of tire” scattered across the runway, and another aircraft was arranged to take the passengers to Phoenix. In a statement to the Daily Beast, the airline said passengers arrived in Phoenix at 7:24 p.m. local time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that it is investigating the cause of the two blown tires. The incident comes just days after another United Airlines flight carrying 175 passengers to Munich, Germany, was forced to abort its journey and make an emergency landing on Monday after mid-air structural damage compromised the cockpit. The FAA confirmed that the crew made an urgent call after reporting a “cracked windshield,” prompting an official investigation into the incident. The flight was ultimately canceled, leaving passengers stranded at Boston Logan International Airport.

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