Vietnam Airlines Flight Crew in Munich Incident: Insufficient Distance to Reject Takeoff

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) submitted a preliminary report to the Ministry of Transport regarding the August 15 incident on Flight VN34 at Munich International Airport.

During the takeoff roll on Runway 26L, the crew noticed the speed stall for two seconds at the runway midpoint. The aircraft resumed acceleration toward the decision speed ($V_1$), but the speed dropped again. The crew determined they lacked the stopping distance to safely reject the takeoff.

The pilots continued the takeoff procedure and pushed the throttles to maximum power. With only 91 meters of runway remaining, the captain rotated the aircraft into the air.

Shortly after liftoff, cockpit systems warned of a tail strike and tire pressure loss in four main gear tires. The crew notified air traffic control (ATC) and chose to return to Munich for an emergency inspection.

To ensure a safe landing weight, the crew dumped fuel over designated airspace. The pilots then completed two low passes over the field so ground controllers could inspect the gear visually.

Once ATC confirmed no visible exterior damage, the captain initiated the landing approach. The aircraft touched down safely on Runway 26R at 3:57 PM local time—roughly two hours after departure—and vacated via Taxiway A4.

Ground teams verified the absence of fire and smoke. The crew then deplaned all passengers using mobile airstairs.

All passengers and crew members reached the terminal safely without injuries. Ground crews secured the aircraft, which remains grounded for a formal investigation.

Initial inspections confirmed four blown tires across the main landing gear assemblies. Technicians also found tail strike damage, including heavy scrape marks along the lower rear fuselage and tears in the outer skin.