Jet with burst tyre lands safely in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - An American Airlines jet landed safely on Tuesday after being forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport following a burst tyre on take-off, television images showed.

The Toronto-bound American Airlines flight 1586, a Boeing 737 carrying 136 people, appeared to touch down smoothly just before 1pm local time (2000 GMT) after circling the area to get rid of excess fuel.

Fire trucks greeted the plane shortly after landing but there were no flames or smoke and the plane could be seen taxiing to a gate without incident.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said earlier the plane had returned after discovery of a burst tyre on the left landing gear beneath a wing. Initial media reports indicated the shredded wheel was on the nose gear.