Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Damaged After Taking Off Dangerously Late From Munich

Published Aug 15, 2026, 3:46 PM EDT Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. A Vietnam Airlines flight from Munich Airport (MUC) to Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) (HAN) was departing on Saturday, August 15, when the tail of the Boeing 787-9 struck the runway. This caused substantial damage to the aircraft and forced the plane to turn around, dump fuel, and return to the departure airport. Preliminary information on what caused the incident was that the plane overran the runway and damaged runway lights. On Saturday, flight VN34 was set to fly to the Vietnamese capital when the plane rotated very late and became airborne; as it did so, the tail struck the ground. The pilots, out of an abundance of caution, turned around, and 90 minutes after departure the flight performed a low approach before subsequently landing, with the left main gear trailing smoke. Vietnam Airlines Flight VN34 Struck The Ground Credit: Shutterstock According to Aviation Herald, the aircraft was VN-A867 and the Dreamliner was departing from Bavaria on Runway 26L. Preliminary information indicates that the plane unexpectedly overran the end of the runway, when a large cloud of dust and dirt rose around the aircraft as it rotated late. Following the strike, the plane climbed to around FL100, when checks by the crew identified that they had a tire pressure issue and would be returning to Munich. The plane dumped fuel, and after circling Munich, the plane attempted to land about 90 minutes later. The aircraft performed a low approach to runway 26R, followed by another low approach to the same runway before landing. On arrival, this disabled the runway, which was then closed. According to one aviation insider, Fahad Naim, on X, the whole tail strike module has been damaged, with a clear puncture through the lower fuselage. The strike tore the composite on the plane and has left heavy scrape marks on the aft. Initial evidence indicates that the aircraft must have pulled hard and will likely be out of service for several months. Crew And Passengers Were Unharmed Credit: Shutterstock Vietnam has already issued a press release on the incident and outlined that the plane remains on the apron at Munich following the incident. It confirmed that the plane returned to Munich after a technical issue. All crew followed required procedures and were able to land safely after the 90-minute hold. All passengers and crew were disembarked from the plane once back in Munich, and no one was injured following the incident. The carrier is now reaccommodating passengers for onward travel, and the airline is coordinating with relevant authorities to inspect the aircraft. The carrier noted that further updates will be released after the inspection is complete and other operational plans are confirmed. Additionally, the airline apologised for the inconvenience caused. The full statement is copied below: Vietnam Airlines Provides Update on Flight VN34 Returning to Munich Hanoi, August 15, 2026 Vietnam Airlines announces that flight VN34 from Munich (Germany) to Hanoi on August 15 returned to its departure airport after take-off due to a technical issue. The flight was operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The flight crew followed all required procedures and landed safely at Munich Airport. The passengers and cabin crew members are safe. All passengers have disembarked and been accommodated in the terminal. Vietnam Airlines is coordinating with the relevant authorities and parties to inspect the aircraft and is implementing measures to assist passengers and arrange their onward travel. The airline will provide further updates as soon as the inspection results and specific operational plans are available. The airline sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience caused and appreciates passengers’ understanding. The safety of our passengers, crew and flights remains Vietnam Airlines’ highest priority in all flight operations. Vietnam Airlines Fleet Details Credit: Shutterstock The flag carrier of the Asian country of Vietnam, the SkyTeam carrier operates around 90 aircraft. The airline has extensive networks domestically, with a growing international presence. The airline operates a total of 31 widebody aircraft made up of the Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787-10 and 787-9, as detailed below as per ch-aviation: Widebody Aircraft Type Number In Service Airbus A350-900 14 Boeing 787-10 Six Boeing 787-9 11 The airline operates long-haul international services to Europe from both its hubs at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) (SGN) and Hanoi. From Hanoi, its nonstop links to Europe include Amsterdam (AMS), Frankfurt Airport (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Milan Malpensa (MXP), Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Munich, and Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG). VN-A867, the aircraft at the centre of the incident, is a ten-year-old 787-9, which first entered service for VN on April 23, 2016. It is configured to carry a total of 274 passengers in a three-class configuration. It remains unclear when the plane will re-enter service.