--- title: "Tire Explodes on Boeing Jet, Killing Two Employees" description: "The tire belonged to a Boeing 757 jet operated by Delta Airlines, which was undergoing maintenance when it exploded." date: "2024-08-28" modified: "2024-08-28" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tire-explodes-boeing-killing-two" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Boeing" - "Space" tags: - "aircraft" - "boeing" - "the digest" --- # Tire Explodes on Boeing Jet, Killing Two Employees ![The tire belonged to a Boeing 757 jet operated by Delta Airlines, which was undergoing maintenance when it exploded.]() *SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 24: A Delta Airlines Boeing 757 taxis at San Diego International Airport on August 24, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images) \Image: Kevin Carter/Getty Images\* ## Tragedy Strikes A tire unexpectedly exploded on a Boeing jet operated by Delta Air Lines on Tuesday at Atlanta's airport, killing two workers and seriously injuring a third, [*The Guardian* reports](). The deadly incident occurred, [per *The Associated Press*](), while the workers were performing maintenance on wheel components in a hangar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 5 am. According to the airline, the parts weren't attached to the plane, a Boeing 757-232, when the explosion occurred. The deaths come as Boeing is under [intense scrutiny]() for the [safety of its aircraft]() — following a near-disastrous [mid-flight doorplug blowout]() on an Alaska Airlines flight operating one of its jets in January — and [even of its spacecraft](). ## Wheel Deal As it stands, it's unclear what caused the tire explosion. We know that Delta's Boeing 757 jet had arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday night, and that its wheel components underwent maintenance at a facility operated by Delta, which owns the [largest 757 fleet]() in the world with over a hundred of the aircraft in active service. As [*Quartz* notes](), citing a 1996 [study]() in the journal *SAE Transactions*, the immense pressures contained by aircraft tires means that any of them are potential bombs in the making (in fact, even the [tires on trucks can be deadly]()). "The energy released by a tire burst can be equated to dynamite," the study reads, as quoted by *Quartz*. ## The Aftermath The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that it's opened an investigation into the incident, per the *AP*. While it didn't speak of an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration said that it was aware of the deaths and was in contact with Delta. The airline said that it was cooperating with local authorities and that it would conduct an investigation of its own into the incident. "The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning," the airline said in statement, per *The Guardian*. "We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time." It's too early to start pointing fingers yet, but the deadly episode will undoubtedly add to the concerns over Boeing's safety track record. **More on Boeing:** *[Flight Attendants in Boeing Disaster Feared Passengers Had Been Sucked Out Hole in Plane]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()