TAMPA, Fla. — Passengers destined for Phoenix were delayed after their plane's tire appeared to explode during takeoff Wednesday morning at Tampa International Airport.
A YouTube video posted by user Captain Steven Markovich shows an American Airlines plane carrying 174 customers and six crew members, according to the airline, taking off when the tire begins falling apart. Within seconds, the plane was trailing a line of smoke and sparks down the runway.
"I don't think the tower saw the serious nature of this," a man said in the video. "There's gonna be marks all over the runway."
Data from FlightAware shows the plane was a Boeing 737-800 that was scheduled to depart around 7:30 a.m.
Shortly after stopping, the tire burst into flames and first responder vehicles, known as Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) trucks, showed up. Four trucks initially reported to the scene, and the fire didn't spread to any other part of the plane.
"I don't think the aircraft even realizes they caught on fire," the man said in the video. "I'm sure they can't see it."
The aircraft's passengers and crew exited the plane and were taken to the terminal's Airside F by bus, Tampa airport spokesperson Joshua Gillin said. Other flight operations were unaffected.
An American Airlines spokesperson said no injuries were reported. Passengers were accommodated on a replacement flight to Phoenix that has since departed, they added.
"We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused," the spokesperson said.