Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, spoke to Fox News on Thursday, August 27, 2026, about repeated tire blowouts on jets at O’Hare International Airport, the latest occurring Wednesday, August 26, on an American Airlines aircraft as it was preparing for takeoff to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Clifford, who represents the families of several people killed in the Washington, D.C. crash of an American Airlines jet with a military helicopter as well as several people who were killed in the UPS cargo jet crash in Louisville, Kentucky, spoke with Fox anchor Lauren Scafidi about the blowout of two tires of AA Flight 3280 as it was pushing back from the gate. No one was hurt.
This incident is the third time in a little over a week and the fifth time in less than a year that a plane has had tire problems at O’Hare.
Clifford spoke about the need for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to more closely scrutinize and enforce tire regulations on airplanes, which could lead to disastrous results. He said that because it is occurring across several different airlines, it is more than just a local problem. He also pointed out that maintenance crews must do a better job of examining tires before planes depart.
Clifford noted that one reason may be airlines trying to save money unnecessarily at the expense of passengers’ safety. He said they may be trying to get more use out of tires that clearly need to be changed, which is a tremendous safety hazard. Regardless of the expense, this fix could ultimately save lives, he said. Just as drivers attend to their car tires that lose air, pilots can recognize when the aircraft tires are losing air, and maintenance crews must be called into action.
At yesterday’s incident, passengers were able to deplane and were bused back to the terminal, where they boarded a different plane to their destination.
Officials reported that other recent incidents include American Airlines flight 386, a Boeing 737-800 that departed from LaGuardia Airport in New York, reporting two blown tires after landing safely at O’Hare. Hours later, United Airlines Flight 739, which departed Omaha Airport in Nebraska, also reported a blown tire when landing at O’Hare.
“It’s really dangerous, and if the FAA doesn’t take immediate action, something bad is going to happen, and American lives will be at risk. These five incidents indicate that there is either a maintenance problem or a preservation problem with the tires.”
Clifford served as lead counsel in the 2019 crash of a Boeing 737 MAX8 that killed all 157 people on board from 35 countries.
Watch the entire interview below.