Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight out of Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday morning were left shocked after a tire exploded and appeared to catch fire just before liftoff. Video shows that at least one tire burst on the runway as the Boeing 737 was picking up speed, sending chunks of rubber flying. The pilot quickly slammed on the brakes and brought the plane to a stop near the end of the runway. Emergency crews arrived on the scene quickly as flames became visible. In a statement, the airline said Flight 590 from Tampa to Phoenix was canceled after the plane “experienced a mechanical issue on the runway prior to taking off.” “Customers safely deplaned and were bussed to the terminal,” the statement said. “We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.” The FAA says the flight crew reported “multiple blown tires” and that it was investigating the incident.
