Main John Wayne Runway Blocked by Disabled Jet

A passenger jet blew three tires on landing Friday at John Wayne Airport, blocking the main commercial runway for hours and delaying hundreds of travelers but causing no injuries, officials said.

The incident, which happened as a Delta Air Lines MD-90 set down at 12:20 p.m., caused a small fire that was quickly extinguished by emergency crews. The plane’s 50 passengers were evacuated down its rear ramp.

“When the plane landed, the brake fluid was extremely hot and . . . caught fire,” said Ann Gill-McCarley, a spokeswoman for the airport. “There was never any danger to the aircraft or the passengers.”

Changing the tires so the plane could be moved required bringing in equipment from Los Angeles International Airport. Meanwhile, the stranded plane, which had arrived from Dallas, sat on the runway.

Dozens of airline flights into the Orange County airport were diverted to other Southern California airports, Gill-McCarley said, and some departing flights were canceled. Private aircraft continued to use smaller runways. Commercial service resumed at 4:35 p.m.