ATLANTA- An Alaska Airlines (AS) Boeing 737 MAX 9 took off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and suffered a tire malfunction on departure. The flight continued and completed its journey to San Diego (SAN) despite tire issues.
Flight AS474 took off at around 17:30 local time on Thursday, April 3, 2025. The incident, while concerning, ended without injuries to any of the 171 people aboard.
Photo: Steve Knight | FlickrAlaska Airlines 737 MAX 9
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as Flight AS474 took off from runway 26L at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the right tire of the left main landing gear blew off.
Debris from the blown tire was later discovered east of Taxiway D. After assessing the situation, the flight crew determined it was safe to continue the journey to San Diego (SAN).
About 4.5 hours after departure, the aircraft landed safely at San Diego International Airport (SAN) at 19:19 local time. As a precautionary measure, the pilots declared an emergency landing to ensure additional support would be available.
An Alaska Airlines (AS) spokesperson stated that while such incidents are uncommon, pilots undergo extensive training to handle various emergencies safely.
Photo: Alaska AirlinesThe FAA reported damage to the left engine, which was located next to the blown tire. The full extent of the damage remains under investigation. Following the incident, Alaska Airlines (AS) grounded the aircraft for maintenance.
The Boeing 737-9 MAX, registered as N967AK, remained on the ground in San Diego (SAN) as of Friday afternoon, with its next scheduled flight to Seattle (SEA) canceled.
The affected aircraft has been in service for approximately two years, having been delivered to Alaska Airlines (AS) in May 2023. It features 16 First Class seats and 162 Main Cabin seats, including 24 Premium Class seats.
Photo: By Quintin Soloviev – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110510516Similar Recent Incidents
This event follows several similar occurrences in the past year.
In November, another Alaska Airlines (AS) Boeing 737-900 experienced tire failure during takeoff from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) but completed its flight to Los Angeles (LAX) safely.
A United Airlines (UA) Boeing 757-200 lost a main gear wheel after taking off from Los Angeles (LAX), with the wheel landing in an employee parking lot.
A SkyWest (OO) CRJ-900 operating as Delta Connection (DL) safely landed in Minneapolis (MSP) after a tire blew during takeoff in Grand Rapids (GRR). Additionally, an American Airlines (AA) flight experienced a tire blowout during takeoff preparations, causing smoke and sparks on the runway before the tires caught fire as the plane stopped.
Photo- Wikimedia Commons; Compiled by Aviation A2ZBottom Line
Tire failures like blowouts or bursts occasionally happen despite advanced engineering and strict upkeep protocols. These incidents create substantial challenges, compromising aircraft handling, triggering additional mechanical problems, and sometimes resulting in major accidents.
Such events present serious difficulties for Pilots and ground staff while imposing considerable financial consequences on airlines.
Pilots undergo specialized training to manage such occurrences of aircraft tire failures, maintaining passenger safety through practiced protocols.
Safety during these events relies on a comprehensive approach that includes well-engineered tire construction, thorough maintenance, and skilled pilot emergency procedures that together minimize potential dangers when tire failures happen.
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