Passengers on American Airlines Flight AA3023 probably won’t forget Saturday afternoon anytime soon. Just as the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was getting ready to head off to Miami from Denver International, things took a turn—the main landing gear caught fire, right there on Runway 34L.
What Happened At Denver Airport?
Emergency slides popped, people scrambled, and the crew hustled everyone—173 passengers plus six crew—off the plane.
Firefighters moved fast, foam hoses blazing, and managed to get the flames under control. The smell of burning rubber and a haze of smoke hung in the air while folks waited on the tarmac, probably running through every worst-case scenario in their heads.
Luckily, injuries were minimal. Paramedics checked on five people, but only one ended up being taken to the hospital, and officials said the incident was not serious. The rest of the evacuees were loaded onto buses and shuttled back to the terminal, rattled but safe.
The FAA’s already poking around, calling it a “possible landing gear incident.” American Airlines chalked it up to a maintenance problem with a tire, which forced the sudden stop and evacuation.
Meanwhile, Denver’s airport had to hit pause—87 flights delayed, ground stop in effect for about an hour.
🚨Panic at Denver Airport as American Airlines Flight 3023’s left main wheel bursts into flames during takeoff!
Terrified passengers evacuated the Boeing 737 MAX 8 as smoke filled the runway. One hospitalized — disaster narrowly avoided.
Boeing Nightmare Continues! pic.twitter.com/j8lNBVIVm7
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) July 27, 2025
People rush to safety
People on board said they smelled something burning and saw smoke before the emergency. Videos online show fire crews spraying foam near the rear wheels, with passengers just standing around, probably wishing they were anywhere else.
Of course, this isn’t the first time American’s had a scare at Denver—back in March, another plane had to make an emergency landing due to an engine issue. No injuries then either, but you’ve gotta wonder what’s going on with all these mechanical problems. The FAA says, so far, it looks like only the tire was to blame this time, but the full investigation is still underway.
For now, Denver’s back to business as usual. The airport’s one of the busiest in the country, and incidents like this—while rare—tend to raise eyebrows about maintenance and safety checks. Everyone’s waiting to see what comes out of the FAA’s review and American’s own maintenance deep-dive.
ALSO READ: At Least 11 Stabbed at Walmart in Michigan’s Traverse City, Suspect in Custody
