Airplanes Collide At Hanoi Airport, 4 Pilots Suspended
The two airplanes suffered significant damage and are no longer airworthy.
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Vietnam Airlines has suspended four pilots after two of its aircrafts collided on the runway of Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport
The accident caused disruptions to scheduled departures bound for Ho Chi Minh City and Dien Bien, affecting 386 passengers.
A Boeing 787, preparing for takeoff to Ho Chi Minh City, was taxiing behind an Airbus A321 from the same airline when its right wingtip struck the latter's vertical stabiliser.
The collision resulted in a significant tear to the Airbus' tail, while the Boeing's wingtip also sustained damage.
Following the incident, both aircrafts were returned to the parking area and immediately grounded for technical inspections
All 386 passengers, including those on the Airbus bound for Dien Bien, were successfully transferred to alternative flights to continue their journeys.
Debris from both planes was collected at the scene. Passenger-recorded video footage captured the Airbus being jolted upon impact, clearly showing a substantial gash on its tail fin.
Initial findings suggest the Airbus was not positioned at its designated parking point
Vietnam Airlines has commissioned an independent team to investigate the cause of the collision, in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).
While awaiting the results, four pilots — two from each aircraft involved — have been suspended.
The CAAV has formally classified the incident as a Level B serious incident, the second-highest category on the aviation safety scale. This classification was made due to the significant safety breach and subsequent temporary closure of the taxiway.
Thankfully, no one was injured by the incident.
