A wave of tension gripped Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta Tuesday evening as a Boeing 767, LATAM Flight 2482, experienced a terrifying landing. The aircraft, fresh off a seven-hour journey from Lima, Peru, shuddered as it met the runway, immediately unleashing a chaotic burst of destruction.
The impact wasn’t a typical hard landing; it was far more dramatic. All eight of the plane’s landing tires exploded simultaneously upon contact, sending shockwaves through the airport and creating a scene of immediate concern for those on board and observing from the ground.
Witnesses described a series of violent pops, quickly followed by plumes of smoke rising from the aircraft. One airport worker recounted hearing “loud bangs” and seeing the smoke, while a traveler vividly remembered the unsettling sound of wheels “rattling on the tarmac” for an extended, unnerving period.
Inside the cabin, the force of the landing was palpable. Dislodged cabin panels and a bathroom door ripped from its hinges testified to the severity of the event, painting a picture of a jarring and frightening experience for the 221 passengers and crew.
Remarkably, despite the dramatic circumstances, no injuries were reported. However, the ordeal wasn’t over for those on board. Passengers found themselves stranded on the tarmac for two hours, awaiting transport to the terminal by bus.
Experts are pointing to a potential malfunction in the aircraft’s automatic braking system as the likely culprit. Retired Captain Paul Carr, a veteran 767 pilot, emphasized the unusual nature of the incident, stating that simultaneous failure of all eight tires is exceptionally rare.
Carr explained that a malfunctioning braking system could have locked the wheels, generating intense friction and ultimately leading to the catastrophic tire failures. This scenario suggests a mechanical issue, rather than simply a forceful landing, as the root cause of the event.
The runway was temporarily closed following the incident, but airport operations were not significantly disrupted. Investigations are underway to determine the precise cause of the braking system malfunction and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
