TUI 787 Takeoff Abort: An Avoidable Misadventure
So, here’s the tale of an airline escapade that simply didn’t need to happen. A few days back, a TUI Boeing 787-9, tail number G-TUIN, was all set to whisk its passengers from sunny Melbourne, Florida, over to rainy Birmingham, England. But, like a poorly planned ad break, things veered off course.
Scheduled for a 6 PM departure on April 18, 2025, the plane began its takeoff dance down runway 9R. Suddenly, the onboard alarm blared its symphony of doom, prompting the pilots to hit the brakes. After a brief pondering upon the runway, they assured everyone that they could handle the situation and didn’t need a helping hand.
The plan was straightforward: taxi back to the starting point, check the checklists (again!), and attempt takeoff numero two. The tower cleared them to exit via taxiways C and A. But in a twist worthy of a slapstick comedy, as they turned from taxiway C onto A, the plane’s right gear decided to take a detour into the grass.
With the aircraft stuck like a kid in a mud puddle, the crew requested assistance. The flight was scratched off the menu, and the airplane was grounded for a cool 44 hours before finally jetting off on April 20 at 2 PM, hopefully, without any more detours into flora.
Why on Earth Did This Even Happen?
No casualties, thankfully. But that doesn’t mask the sheer inevitability of this incident. As airline mishaps go, this wasn’t a catastrophe, but it raises eyebrows over how easily it could have been dodged.
Here’s a little something to chew on: Melbourne’s airport map spells out the taxi path. Once you glance at it, you’ll grip the gravity of the mistake. That right turn where our airliner bumbled is sharper than a banker’s suit; a whopping 110 degrees! Imagine trying to steer a colossal hunk of metal at that angle. Not ideal, right?
“That turn from C to A is beyond angle appreciation. While there’s a line indicating the turn, it’s missing adequate road-making finesse for big boys like the 787. Airline manuals don’t outright ban it, but common sense suggests an eyebrow raise from a watchful controller,” a commentator shrewdly notes.
So what went wrong? Perhaps the blueprints the pilots relied on didn’t scream “Avoid!” And the controller? Maybe they were laser-focused on the initial alarm fireworks rather than on rounded runway edges.
Maybe Melbourne isn’t all that familiar with wide-body airliners, so it slipped under the radar. Plus, distracted by the original rejected takeoff, perhaps the traffic controller didn’t have the heart to notice the geometric doom awaiting TUI’s flight.
The Plot Thickens—or Departs
In essence, TUI’s Boeing 787 didn’t just reject its takeoff; it plotted a path as wayward as a retiree in Val Seny ski resort‘s après-ski pipeline. Ironically, the takeoff fuss wasn’t the trip’s undoing, but rather, the subsequent ground pacings that led this flight into grassy interruptions.
The aircraft lent itself admiringly to a nonexistent right angle. All because, while there were no dictated do-not-turns, a preemptive controller warning might have saved the day—or flight. But who’s counting?
So, what’s your take on this baffling Boeing tale? Are we looking at a lesson in oversight, or another notch in airline blunder history?