United Airlines pilot did not slow down enough, causing flight to veer off at IAH: NTSB

HOUSTON, Teas (KTRK) -- An investigation into a United flight that veered off the taxiway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in March revealed the incident may have happened due to the pilot not slowing down enough, a report states.

A newly released preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board gives a better idea of why United 737 MAX veered off, causing its left main landing gear to collapse. According to the report, on March 8, the pilot did not slow the plane enough when he turned from the runway to the taxiway. The runway was wet at the time, and when the left landing gear left the paved surface, it hit a manhole that served as an electrical junction box. The left gear separated from the plane upon impact with the box.

The video above is from the March 8 incident.

The pilot said he initially reduced the braking because he "wanted to expedite their time on the runway," and because he "preferred decelerating gradually for passenger comfort."

One-hundred-sixty passengers and six crew members were on the flight and immediately evacuated.

The captain said that, shortly after touchdown, he retracted the speed brakes by the action of moving the speed brake lever to its down and locked position, which disabled the autobrakes. He did not "slow too much initially" because the runway appeared dry; he wanted to expedite their time on the runway, and because he preferred decelerating gradually for passenger comfort.

During the turn onto the taxiway, he felt the fuselage and rudder/brake pedals begin to shake violently. He briefly released the brake pressure, and the shaking ceased. He then reapplied aggressive brake pressure, and the shaking resumed. The airplane slid off the runway, and the left MLG tires and nose wheels tires entered the grass before the airplane came to a rest with its left wing low.