COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Joe Madrigal was on board United Airlines flight 1287, expected to take off from Colorado Springs and land in Denver Saturday afternoon.
After settling into his seat, the plane started taxiing, when all of a sudden, he heard what he is describing as a loud explosion.
“I could see smoke coming, and like I said, you know, the captain came on and said, ‘We blew both tires on the right side,” Madrigal said.
Madrigal says passengers on board this United flight were left wondering what happened after the plane suddenly stopped in the middle of the runway before getting up to speed and taking off.Madrigal took photos showing the aftermath of two tires that burst on the right side of the plane.
“I felt like we ran into something, is what I thought originally, we thought we had hit something with one of the wings. It jerked so violently,” Madrigal said.
11 News reached out to both United Airlines and the Colorado Springs Airport to figure out what happened. The airport confirmed the incident and said there were no reported injuries, telling 11 News in a brief statement Sunday that, “A United Airlines plane set to depart … reported issues with two of the aircraft’s tires. The aircraft ceased operations and the airport coordinated passenger transportation back to the terminalUnited Airlines said those on the plane were given meal and hotel vouchers, adding that a new plane left for Denver hours after they were escorted off their first plane. 11 News is still working to learn what happened to the tires.
“My thinking was, ‘Thank God it blew now rather than making that final turn and being at takeoff speed and having them blow then,’ because that would’ve been disastrous,” Madrigal said.