What happened
At 15:00 UTC, an aircraft departed from Brussels airport. During the rotation phase of the takeoff, the crew reported hearing an unusual noise and encountered difficulty maintaining lift. Following adjustments to the engine power settings, the aircraft successfully transitioned into flight.
During the takeoff roll, individuals on the ground observed two successive white clouds forming beneath the tail section of the aircraft, which were immediately followed by visible flames. A subsequent inspection of the runway surface confirmed that various components had detached from the aircraft, specifically including the APU access door.
Due to the nature of the incident, the crew performed a fuel dump to reduce the aircraft's weight. The aircraft returned to Brussels and landed at 16:20 UTC. A post-flight inspection on the ground identified that large portions of the underside skin of the tail section were missing.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced structural failure of the tail skin and the separation of the APU access door during the takeoff rotation.
- The incident involved the loss of aircraft components and visible flames near the tail area.