Braking Commands Applied During Acceleration Cause Boeing 787-9 Runway Excursion
A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner suffered severe fuselage damage during a botched takeoff attempt at Munich Airport. The aircraft, operating as a flight to Hanoi with 271 passengers and 16 crew members aboard, was accelerating down the runway when braking commands were applied.
According to preliminary findings released by the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), data retrieved from the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) shows that at 11:56:15 UTC, just seconds after Takeoff/Go-Around (TOGA) power was selected, rudder pedal inputs were accompanied by movement on both left-seat brake pedals.
The Dreamliner continued its takeoff roll despite repeated braking commands registered by both the left and right Brake System Control Units (BSCUs), with pressure peaking nearly a minute later. The maximum recorded brake-pedal deflection reached 7.2 degrees out of a maximum 12.5 degrees.
Unable to generate sufficient lift on the paved surface, the 787-9 ran out of runway and lifted off from the grass strip beyond the end of Runway 08R. During the low-speed rotation and off-runway excursion, the aircraft’s tail and main landing gear collided with the runway approach-lighting system.