American Airlines 737 runway accident linked to brake failure

An American Airlines Group Inc. 737-800 went off the runway last month after a brake failure linked to maintenance performed on the plane, US investigators said Thursday.

The Boeing Co. jet touched down normally at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport but the plane’s brakes wouldn’t work, and it rolled off the end of the runway before coming to a stop, the National Transportation Safety Board said. 

Investigators found that hydraulic lines in the brake system had been improperly connected in addition to problems with wiring, according to a preliminary report by the agency. The incident is one of the more serious examples in a recent spate of airline mishaps that have received widespread media attention. 

None of the 104 people aboard were hurt. Pilots were able to slow the plane partially with the plane’s so-called thrust reversers, which use engine power to decelerate.

American Airlines had no immediate comment on the NTSB’s report.