Investigators probe Dreamliner runway incident at Munich Airport

Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation is examining how a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 overran the end of the runway during takeoff at Munich Airport on Saturday, BR reported. Experts disagree on whether the incident came close to becoming a catastrophe, while investigators have cautioned that it is too early to assess the causes.

The aircraft became airborne only after passing the end of the runway, then circled for about two hours over Munich and parts of Upper Bavaria between Lake Ammersee and Altötting. It dumped fuel before returning to Munich, apparently with significant problems. The main landing gear tyres were destroyed during the landing.

Firefighters and emergency services approached the aircraft after it came to a stop. The runway then had to be cleared of damaged tyre fragments, leaving part of it blocked for several hours. No one was injured.

On Monday, a young Vietnamese woman and her daughter stood at the Vietnam Airlines baggage drop-off counter for the flight from Munich to Hanoi. It was the first flight to that destination since Saturday’s incident. She said the reports had caused her considerable anxiety, but she decided to fly as planned because she was sure the aircraft would be thoroughly checked.

Another passenger who was on board the Dreamliner on Saturday chose a different aircraft and planned to reach her destination in Vietnam via Singapore. She said the incident had deeply shaken her and that she had only wanted to land safely. Other passengers also described their fear and unease on social media. Videos from the takeoff show shaking inside the cabin, while dust can be seen rising from the ground outside.

Aviation expert Heinrich Großbongardt told BR24 that passengers and Munich Airport may have narrowly avoided a catastrophe. Given the aircraft’s takeoff speed of about 300 kilometres per hour, he said a failed takeoff could have ended in a fireball. He referred to an incident in India in which a plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing more than 240 passengers.

Großbongardt said one possible explanation could be an incorrect takeoff-weight entry, as occurred in another case in Australia. Aviation observers have also discussed that possibility online. The Aviation Herald platform, meanwhile, said there were indications that at least the brakes on the right side of the aircraft had been locked before takeoff. The aircraft’s tail may also have struck the ground and been damaged during the takeoff.

The Cockpit pilots’ association urged caution. It said there was not yet enough verified information to make a reliable assessment of how the aircraft passed the regular end of the runway. In particular, any claims that technical factors played a role would currently be speculation.

Vietnam Airlines described the incident as a technical problem without providing further details. The airline apologised for the inconvenience and said the crew had followed all prescribed procedures.

Experts from the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, based in Braunschweig, were already at the scene over the weekend, a spokesperson said. The flight recorders have been secured. The investigation is expected to take several weeks.