Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Plows Through Munich Runway During Takeoff

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner suffered a major incident at Munich Airport on August 15. During takeoff from runway 26L, the aircraft failed to lift off before the end of the runway and overran the paved surface by roughly 120 meters. It then made contact with airport infrastructure, causing damage to runway lights.

The pilots pulled back hard on the controls in an effort to get airborne, resulting in a tail strike. The crew eventually detected a tire pressure issue and decided not to continue to Hanoi. Instead, they circled for about 90 minutes to two hours before dumping fuel and attempting to land back at Munich.

The return landing did not go smoothly either, with the aircraft making two low approaches over runway 26R before touching down. The tires reportedly shredded, and smoke was seen trailing from the left main landing gear. After becoming disabled on the runway, the aircraft was temporarily closed for inspection.