What happened
A 10-year-old Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 on flight VN34 overran Munich runway 26L at 1:57 p.m. local time on 15 August 2026 while departing for Hanoi. The jet kept accelerating past the end of the 4,000-meter runway and struck its tail before becoming airborne.
The crew declared an emergency and climbed to 10,000 feet with a tire-pressure indication. After circling about 90 minutes, it made two low passes so damage could be assessed, then landed on runway 26R at 3:57 p.m. Disabled on arrival, the jet left that runway closed for an extended period. Images after the return showed shredded tires and a damaged tail. No injuries were reported.
One Mile at a Time reported a roughly five-minute gap in Flightradar24 data around takeoff. The cause remains unknown pending investigation. The 787 is expected to stay grounded for some time. That could thin Vietnam Airlines flying between Munich and Hanoi and the award inventory on that route. Watch Vietnam Airlines Munich operations for cancellations or equipment changes.
- Numbers
- 4,000 meters: length of Munich runway 26L
- 13,123 feet: length of Munich runway 26L
- 10,000 feet: altitude after the rejected-looking takeoff
- 90 minutes: time spent circling before landing
- Where
- Munich (MUC), Hanoi (HAN)
- Takeaway
- Watch Vietnam Airlines Munich operations for cancellations or equipment changes and wait for the official investigation rather than assuming a cause.