Two runway incidents do not point to Munich airport safety problem

Two incidents on the same runway at Munich Airport within two days have raised questions about aviation safety, but no evidence currently points to a problem at the airport, BR24 reports.

On Saturday, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated by Vietnam Airlines failed to reach the necessary speed during its take-off. According to the Vietnamese aviation authority, it was too late to abort the take-off based on the pilots’ report. The aircraft only became airborne from the grass beyond the runway, and its tail struck the ground. Around 270 passengers and crew were on board. The runway lighting was damaged.

On Monday, a Lufthansa Airbus A380 touched down too early during landing. The aircraft’s main landing gear damaged lighting at the marked landing threshold at the beginning of the runway, the airline said. Lufthansa stressed that the aircraft did not miss the runway and did not touch down on the grass. No damage to the aircraft has been reported.

The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, Germany’s body for investigating flight accidents, is examining both incidents. Investigators have secured the flight recorders in each case.

The close timing is striking, but there is currently no indication of a connection. Aviation experts told BR that the incidents were very different and could simply be a coincidence.

There is also no evidence that airport infrastructure caused either incident. In the Dreamliner case, investigators are focusing on why the aircraft accelerated too slowly. Vietnam Airlines cited a technical problem, while experts have not ruled out human error. Investigators are also examining unusual braking marks on the runway that have been attributed to the aircraft.

The airport said the runway was inspected and repaired after the Boeing incident. After the A380 landing, the damaged runway lighting was repaired immediately, allowing the southern runway to reopen less than an hour later.

Pilots also do not consider the airport’s safety to be in question. Vereinigung Cockpit, a pilots’ association, named Munich Airport Germany’s safest airport in its Airport Check only a few weeks ago. The association said the runways were long, well lit, far apart and not surrounded by residential development.

Since the airport opened in 1992, 15 incidents there have been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, out of more than 11.3 million aircraft movements. The two latest incidents bring the total higher. All of the cases ended without serious consequences.