United Flight 455 Aborts Takeoff After Two Tires Blow

A United Airlines aborted takeoff occurred at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on August 13, 2026, after a Boeing 737-900 blown tire incident compromised the aircraft's landing gear during its departure roll. The Chicago O'Hare runway incident forced the flight crew of Flight 455 Phoenix to reject takeoff at high speed, leaving runway debris O'Hare operations had to clear.

The high-speed rejection of United Airlines Flight 455 highlights the critical nature of landing gear integrity and the immediate operational disruptions caused by tire failures during the takeoff phase. With 161 passengers and six crew members on board, the flight was bound for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) before the sudden failure occurred. The incident triggered an immediate response from airport emergency services, leading to a temporary runway closure and a passenger evacuation airstairs deployment directly onto the active taxiway system.

According to Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio, pilots on a nearby aircraft witnessed the event and reported seeing "lots of chunks of tire going down the runway." Rescue personnel dispatched to the scene confirmed that two tires on the right main landing gear had blown out during the takeoff roll. Despite the high-speed deceleration, the flight crew maintained directional control and brought the Boeing 737-900 to a safe stop.

A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed the operational response and recovery plan, stating: "United flight 455 ended its takeoff roll after sustaining tire damage. Customers deplaned via airstairs and buses took them back to the terminal. We're arranging for another aircraft to take them to Phoenix later today." The airline reported no injuries among the 161 customers and six crew members.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has initiated an investigation into the tire failure under 14 CFR Part 121, which governs the operating requirements for domestic commercial carriers. This regulatory framework dictates strict maintenance, inspection, and dispatch requirements, which the FAA will review to ensure the tires were within safe operational wear limits prior to departure.

For United Airlines Maintenance & Engineering, this incident introduces immediate internal audits and FAA scrutiny regarding tire wear limits, replacement intervals, and line maintenance checks across its Boeing 737 fleet. Additionally, Chicago O'Hare Airport Operations experienced a temporary runway closure and debris clearing operations, causing minor delays for trailing departure banks.

While airlines emphasize that rejected takeoffs are highly practiced, safe maneuvers, consumer safety advocates have argued that systemic deferred maintenance issues are often the root cause of such equipment failures, unnecessarily putting passengers at risk.

This incident occurs amidst a broader industry trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on airline line-maintenance and dispatch procedures following a string of commercial aircraft tire failures and runway incidents. The FAA has intensified its oversight of major carriers' maintenance operations between 2024 and 2026 due to several high-profile wheel and tire assembly failures during takeoff and landing phases.

In March 2024, United Airlines Flight 35, a Boeing 777-200, lost a main landing gear tire shortly after takeoff from San Francisco. The falling tire damaged vehicles in an airport parking lot before the flight diverted safely to Los Angeles. That precedent resulted in a broad FAA investigation into the airline's maintenance protocols—a pattern that supports the current situation because the FAA is expected to examine United's line-maintenance practices once again.

To understand the operational profile of the aircraft involved, the Boeing 737-900 can be compared to its primary competitor, the Airbus A321-200.

Boeing 737-900 vs. Airbus A321-200: Key Specifications

The Boeing 737-900 typically accommodates 177 passengers in a standard two-class configuration, with a maximum capacity of 189.

Inside the Landing Gear Stress Envelope

This development indicates that commercial aviation safety remains highly dependent on the physical integrity of consumable components like tires, which must withstand immense thermal and mechanical stress during takeoff. The data suggests that high-speed rejected takeoffs, while standard training maneuvers, place extreme loads on the remaining intact tires and braking systems. Historically, similar situations have led to accelerated wear or secondary damage to hydraulic lines and brake assemblies. Within the broader industry, this incident highlights a tension between rapid turnaround schedules and the exhaustive physical inspections required to detect micro-fissures or pressure delamination in multi-wheel landing gear assemblies. As airlines push for higher asset utilization, the regulatory cycle is shifting toward more prescriptive line-maintenance mandates to prevent runway debris hazards.

Expected Safety Reports and Fleet Audits

The investigation will proceed through several defined regulatory milestones. A preliminary FAA incident report publication is expected by late August 2026, which will detail the initial physical findings from the recovered tire carcasses. United Airlines is expected to conduct internal fleet-wide inspections of its Boeing 737-900 tire assemblies to rule out systemic batch defects or maintenance discrepancies. The aircraft involved, registered under United's domestic fleet, will remain out of service at Chicago O'Hare pending a full engineering clearance and replacement of the damaged right main landing gear components.

Why Line-Maintenance Scrutiny Matters

This development signals that major carriers will face continued pressure to demonstrate the efficacy of their daily maintenance checks. For passengers, the incident underscores the effectiveness of crew training during high-speed aborts, though it also highlights the operational vulnerability of hub airports to single-runway debris disruptions. For the wider aviation industry, the event serves as a reminder that even routine component failures can trigger significant regulatory and logistical complications.