Munich Airport: Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 narrowly avoids catastrophe

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner narrowly avoided a major catastrophe during a failed takeoff at Munich Airport on Saturday afternoon. The aircraft, bound for Hanoi, overran the end of the southern runway before the pilots managed to lift the plane into the air.

Reports indicate that at least one brake on the right side of the aircraft was blocked prior to takeoff. Due to the low takeoff speed, the tail of the plane struck the runway, causing significant damage. When the aircraft returned to land on the northern runway approximately two hours later, its main landing gear tires were destroyed, and smoke was observed rising from the damaged gear.

More than 250 passengers were transported to the terminal by bus; no injuries were reported. Aviation expert Heinrich Großbongardt stated that the incident could have resulted in a ‘fireball with hundreds of deaths’ had the pilots not successfully pulled the aircraft up.

The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation will conduct a months-long investigation, utilizing flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders to determine why the crew did not abort the takeoff in a timely manner. Experts noted that while the incident was severe, it does not necessarily call into question the fundamental safety of the Dreamliner series.