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Two tyres reportedly burst on an Etihad 787-9 at Melbourne Airport over the weekend after an aborted takeoff.
The airport was forced to shut its north-south runway on Sunday night following the incident, as the tyre damage to the Dreamliner, A6-BLN (similar aircraft pictured), meant it could not be immediately cleared from the runway and was reportedly stuck there for around 14 hours.
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Video posted to social media showed firefighting trucks hosing down the plane’s wheels and landing gear after the aborted takeoff.
A spokesperson for Melbourne Aircraft confirmed that the plane, which was operating flight EY461 to Abu Dhabi at the time, had been removed by Monday morning.
“The Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service responded to a request from the aircraft and deployed fire fighting foam as a precaution. All 289 passengers safely disembarked the aircraft and were bussed to the terminal yesterday evening,” the spokesperson said.
“The Etihad aircraft has been safely towed from the runway at Melbourne Airport. Runway inspections have been completed and the runway has been reopened for operations this morning.
“Etihad Airways has advised that it is re-booking passengers on future flights.”
Melbourne Airport currently operates two runways, one north-south and another east-west. A third runway greenlit last year, built parallel to the existing north-south runway and 1.3 kilometres to the west, is planned to open in 2031 and will allow for simultaneous take-offs and landings.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said in September that she has imposed the “most comprehensive set of conditions for a project of this type” in order to address noise concerns of nearby residents.
These include restoring the length of the east-west runway for noise sharing; design and implementation of a noise-sharing and airspace plan; implementing a noise amelioration program for affected communities; and conducting a community health study into noise impacts both before and after the runway’s construction.
“My decision to require that the airport maintain sufficient capacity on the existing east-west runway is to support effective noise sharing at Melbourne Airport, so that no one community bears the brunt of the airport’s growth,” she said.
Dr Chrystal Zhang, aviation expert at RMIT, said the third runway is badly needed in spite of the noise concerns.
“A third runway will enhance Melbourne Airport’s operational capacity and help minimise flight delays. It will accommodate more traffic, improve the passenger travel experience and reduce airline operational cost,” she said.
Fergus Moffat
says:Still, it was a long time for the aircraft to sit out on the runway. A FOD inspection would have been completed long before then. Are airport agencies (including MEL) not ready for an incident like this, such that there is some some sort of jacking/support ‘trolley’ for an affected landing gear that can be used to expedite removal of the a/c off the runway for an engineering inspection? Surely, this would not affect a likely investigation? In terms of a takeoff/landing incident, a successful (routine) aborted takeoff is one of the best that could happen, and yet MEL cannot reopen its main runway until 14 hrs later? I think it reveals an operational deficiency.
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says:Yes, many questions need many answers. Did a tyre/s blow on take off or did the fusion plug/s pop on heat from emergency breaking. Application of foam?????? – that would greatly complicate what appears to be just multiple tyre changes when maybe Co2 would have been better option IF required! Were there enough made up tyres/wheels available for the job completion or were some outsourced but in any event, a main runway out for 14 hours due to tyre changes???? there just has to be a handling problem here, the result will be interesting.
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says:Seems a very strange Situation, was it a straight Tyre Blow out or some mechanical problem around the wheel assembly??Hopefully the Aircraft Engineers, & Investigators get to the bottom of it! Glad everyone on board were safe as it must have been horrific with the plane pulling up so sudden. Pilots did an Excellent job.
Just a pity it happened on Melbourne’s Main North/South Runway 16/34 & had to be Shut down & couldn’t be moved for 14 hours! This is the Main runway for the Long Distance Oversees flights. The new 3rd North/South Runway can’t come quick enough!