MELBOURNE- During takeoff at Melbourne Airport (MEL), an Etihad Airways (EY) Boeing 787 encountered a serious safety event. The landing gear caught fire and two wheels ruptured, requiring emergency procedures.
Flight EY461, carrying 289 people to Abu Dhabi (AUH), actuated emergency brakes during the takeoff sequence. The event left the airplane on the runway with two deflated wheels.
Etihad 787 Tire Burst
Emergency response crews encircled the aircraft and used firefighting foam to extinguish the landing gear fire. Throughout the event, airport firefighters surrounded the grounded Boeing airplane.
All passengers were successfully evacuated from the airplane, with no reported casualties. The crippled aircraft’s position on the runway has caused substantial interruptions to the Melbourne Airport flight schedule, affecting both departures and arrivals.
Officials at Melbourne Airport reported that Etihad Airways flight EY461 had an aborted takeoff during its planned journey to Abu Dhabi. The Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service followed emergency protocols and used firefighting foam to address potential safety hazards.
The airplane remains on the runway due to damaged tires, which hinder regular towing methods. Maintenance crews began repair work, while airport personnel successfully evacuated and escorted all passengers back to the terminal building.
The airport retains operating capacity by using its alternate runway, which currently handles both arriving and departing flights. Despite the event, airport authorities say that overall flight schedules were not significantly disrupted.
Similar Incidents
On December 11, 2024, a Boeing 737 sustained a tire burst while landing at Los Angeles International Airport, marking Southwest Airlines’ (WN) latest tire problem. The airplane flew one of six daily trips between Phoenix and Los Angeles.
This incident is consistent with a pattern of tire-related events in commercial aviation in the United States in 2024. Southwest Airlines previously managed a critical tire failure in June 2024, when a Boeing 737-800 aborted its journey from Denver International Airport to Phoenix due to issues during takeoff.
United Airlines experienced a similar event on August 24, 2024. Their Boeing 737, flying flight UA759 from Denver to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, suffered a tire blowout before takeoff but made a safe landing.
