Rejected Take-off – Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at Melbourne Airport, Victoria, Australia – January 5, 2025

Date:

January 5, 2025

Time:

07:53 UTC (17:53 LT)

Type of Aircraft:

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Owner/Operator:

Etihad Airways

Registration:

A6-BLN

MSN:

39659/569

Year of Manufacture:

2017

Engine Model:

[Information not provided – likely General Electric GEnx-1B]

Fatalities:

0 / Occupants: 289

Other Fatalities:

0

Aircraft Damage:

Unknown

Location:

Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, VIC (MEL/YMML) – Australia

Phase:

Take-off

Nature:

Passenger – Scheduled

Departure Airport:

Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, VIC (MEL/YMML)

Destination Airport:

Abu Dhabi-Bateen Airport (AZI/OMAD)

Confidence Rating:

Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Circumstances:

Etihad Airways flight EY461, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, rejected its take-off from runway 34 at Melbourne Airport due to technical reasons. The aircraft was accelerating for departure when the flight crew detected an issue and made the critical decision to abort the take-off.

ADS-B data indicates that the aircraft reached a ground speed of at least 174 knots before the take-off was rejected. This suggests that the decision to reject the take-off was made at a high speed, requiring significant braking action.

Emergency services, including fire crews, responded to the scene as a precaution. The fire services attended to the aircraft to cool the brakes, which can become extremely hot during a high-speed rejected take-off.

The airline has confirmed that the take-off was rejected for technical reasons, but the specific nature of the issue has not been disclosed. The safety and comfort of the passengers and crew were prioritized, and the aircraft returned to the gate.

The incident caused delays for passengers on EY461 and potentially impacted other flights at Melbourne Airport. Etihad Airways is working to accommodate the affected passengers and ensure their onward travel.