Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Suffers Tail Strike and Severe Tire Damage During Munich Departure in 2026
Investigators are examining a possible braking malfunction after the aircraft struck its tail, damaged four main tires and returned with 287 people aboard.
- On Saturday, August 15, Vietnam Airlines Flight VN34 struck its tail on the ground after overrunning a 4000-metre runway at Munich Airport, carrying 287 people including 271 passengers and 16 crew members.
- After becoming airborne about 120 metres beyond the runway, the aircraft climbed to about 9000 feet before the crew reported a tyre-pressure indication and decided to return to Munich.
- Circling for over an hour to reduce weight, the Dreamliner dumped fuel before landing safely at about 4pm with visible damage to its tail and landing gear.
- Passengers described fearing for their lives, with one woman telling Muenchner Tageszeitung, "We thought this was the end of us." There were no reported injuries.
- The BFU is investigating the incident as an aviation accident, with tyre debris scattered across the runway and the cause of the unusually long takeoff remaining undetermined.
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Speed dropped twice, tail strike, tyre burst: Tense 2-hour drama of Vietnam flight
A Hanoi-bound Vietnam Airlines returned to Munich after its Boeing 787-9 lost speed twice during takeoff, leaving just 91 metres of runway. The aircraft dumped fuel and circled for nearly two hours before landing safely with four burst tyres and tail-strike damage.
The long-haul to Hanoi had to return to Munich on Saturday after reporting problems with its tyres. The incident is now under investigation.
According to Lufthansa, the German Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation.
A Lufthansa Airbus A380 carrying 351 passengers landed prematurely at Munich airport, damaging runway lights, Lufthansa confirmed. The plane landed safely and all passengers were unharmed.
Vietnam Airlines 787 brake problem probed in Munich
A possible braking malfunction has emerged as one potential explanation for a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 that struggled to accelerate, struck its tail during takeoff and ran beyond the end of a runway while departing from Munich Airport (MUC) in Germany. Flight VN34 was taking off from Munich bound for Hanoi on August 15, 2026, when the crew noticed an abnormal change in acceleration during the takeoff roll, according to preliminary informati…
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