A Vietnam Airlines flight was forced to dump fuel and return to the ground after its tail struck the runway during takeoff.
The Boeing 787-9 was scheduled to fly between Munich, Germany and Hanoi, Vietnam, when it overran the runway during takeoff, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The footage, shared on X by aircraft engineer Fahad Naim, shows flight VN-34 taxiing down the runway before a clunking noise can be heard.
Its tail appeared to strike the runway before it pulled upward in what appeared to be a huge plume of dust while taking up almost the entire runway.
The plane circled about 9,000 ft above Munich for around two hours, with footage posted on Flightradar24 showing the aircraft dumping fuel prior to returning to Munich International Airport.
Naim also shared images he claims show damage to the aircraft, noting that “the whole tail strike module is gone” and there were “punctured tyres.”
He also pointed to “a puncture through the lower fuselage, with torn composite and heavy scrape marks running aft.”
He says he suspects a brake seizure or internal fault, however he notes that it’s too early for the exact cause of the incident to be confirmed.
Vietnam Airlines said in a statement to Reuters that the plane had returned to its departure airport due to a “technical issue.”
It noted that flight crew had followed procedures and landed safely at Munich Airport.
“The passengers and cabin crew members are safe,” the airline said.
Vietnam Airlines said the aircraft is being inspected and it is co-ordinating with the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, Munich Airport said that after the flight returned it was unable to taxi off the north runway after under its own power and was stranded, forcing the runway to be closed and planes to be rerouted via the south runway.
news.com.au has contacted Vietnam Airlines for comment.
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