American Flight 41 Blows Two Tires Landing at O'Hare, One to Hospital

An American Airlines flight from Barcelona blew two tires as it landed at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, leaving the Boeing 787 unable to taxi to the gate and sending one person to a local hospital in good condition.

Flight 41 touched down at about 2:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after the crew reported a brake issue during the approach. The flight had come from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Two tires blew on landing, according to officials and the airline.

On board were 234 customers and 11 crew members, 245 people in total. Officials said no other injuries were reported.

Passengers leave by stairs on the tarmac

Passengers left the plane by stairs set up on the tarmac and were bused to the terminal. They then had to wait for the aircraft to be towed before they could retrieve their luggage, a delay that followed directly from the jet being unable to move under its own power.

Passenger John Abbate of Wood Dale, who was returning from a family vacation, told FOX Chicago the landing was 'very, very loud', with a 'big boom'. He praised the calm way passengers left the aircraft and the work of the airline staff during the response.

ABC7 Chicago reported it was still working to determine whether the person taken to the hospital was hurt during the landing itself. Officials had not given more detail on that point by Tuesday evening.

A brake issue with no known cause yet

The crew reported the brake issue before touchdown, but the cause of the problem was not immediately known. American Airlines said the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection by its maintenance team.

The airline thanked its team members for their work and apologized to customers for the disruption.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. That review will look at the brake system, the tires and the condition of the aircraft during the approach and the rollout after touchdown.

Why it matters

Tire failures on landing can disable a large aircraft in place even when the crew keeps control during the rollout. When a plane cannot taxi, the airport and the airline must switch to stairs, buses and towing. That slows the return to the terminal and delays baggage delivery for everyone on board.

For passengers, Tuesday's flight shows how a mechanical problem late in a long international trip can turn a routine arrival into a long wait on the ground. For the airline, the inspection will decide how long this Boeing 787 stays out of service and whether any further checks are needed.

O'Hare is a major hub for American Airlines and one of the busiest airports in the United States. An aircraft stopped after landing can affect gate plans and later departures, even when operations continue around it.

What happens next

Investigators will examine the aircraft and review its records as the FAA inquiry moves forward. American Airlines will need to finish its maintenance inspection before the jet returns to service.

Baggage retrieval for Flight 41 passengers depended on the tow. Crews have to move a damaged aircraft slowly and carefully, so that step often takes time after a tire failure.

No further injuries had been reported by Tuesday evening, and officials had not announced any long term disruption at O'Hare linked to the landing.