Pilot says brakes seemed less effective than usual before a United Airlines jet slid off a taxiway

HOUSTON– The captain of a United Airlines plane said the brakes seemed less effective than normal and that the plane and brake pedals shook violently just before the Boeing 737 Max skidded off a taxiway in Houston last month.

According to a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilots were unsure of the ground conditions when they broke through the clouds and spotted the runway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The captain said the runway looked dry, but the co-pilot thought it looked wet. Shortly after the plane hit the runway, the captain disabled the automatic brakes, the report said.

“He did not initially slow down too much because the runway appeared dry, he wanted to speed up their time on the runway and because he preferred to slow down gradually for the comfort of the passengers,” the NTSB said.

As the plane approached the end of the runway, the captain attempted to steer onto a taxiway while aggressively pressing the brake pedals, the NTSB said. At that moment the aircraft left the taxiway.

The aircraft was severely damaged (the left main landing gear broke off) when it rolled into a grass field at a speed of 40 km per hour and struck a concrete structure. None of the passengers or crew were injured, the NTSB said.

The preliminary report did not indicate a reason for the March 8 accident. It often takes a year or more for the NTSB to reach conclusions.

The accident was part of a series of incidents involving United planes that prompted the CEO to reassure passengers about his airline’s safety.