Four rear tires blow on United jet landing at RDM

(Update: Adding video, passenger comments)

All four rear tires on a United Express flight from San Francisco to Redmond blew out upon landing at Redmond Municipal Airport Wednesday morning, causing no injuries but prompting a call-out of emergency crews. officials said.

An airport representative said the incident involved United Flight 5879, which landed at RDM shortly before 10 a.m.

The passengers were taken by bus to the airport terminal, the representative said, and the plane’s return flight to San Francisco, Flight 5541, was delayed until 1:26 p.m.

The four back tires on the Bombardier CRJ-200 blew out but the front tire did not, witnesses said. SkyWest Airlines operates the United Express flights into and out of RDM.

SkyWest issued a brief statement indicating the flight “experienced a tire issue upon safely landing in Redmond” and said the 27 passengers disembarked through the main cabin door and were taken to the terminal. The plane had three crew members, the airline added.

Airport Manager Zachary Bass told NewsChannel 21 the incident did not close the runway and other flight arrivals and departures were proceeding without delay.

Two passengers told NewsChannel 21 they didn’t hear a pop or a bang, but it was a somewhat rough landing, with an abrupt stop.

Passenger Georgina Wenick said, “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s really weird.’ I’ve never had that experience. The brakes hit, and we started to slow down like normal. But then within a few seconds, it was just like the whole airplane just stopped.”

Another passenger, Chris Bogue, said he “didn’t really think much about it, and we didn’t know we blew tires until the captain told us.”

“But we were sitting on the runway and I looked over and saw one of those emergency vehicles coming out of the garage where they keep them in the airport fire department, and I thought, ‘Oh, something’s going on.'”