What happened
On June 4, 2010, a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 was performing a takeoff from runway 04 at Eindhoven Airport. As the aircraft accelerated and reached the rotation speed, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. This decision was made after the aircraft had already surpassed the takeoff decision speed, known as V1.
Because the abort occurred at a high velocity, the aircraft required a significant distance to decelerate. The aircraft eventually came to a complete stop approximately 500 meters before the end of the runway. Following the incident, the aircraft was taxied back to the terminal. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) investigated the incident to understand why the pilot elected to abort the takeoff after passing V1 and to evaluate the safety implications of such a high-speed maneuver. The investigation focused on the sequence of events, the pilot's decision-making process, and the technical parameters of the takeoff, including the V-speeds used for the flight (V1 of 140 knots, VR of 141 knots, and V2 of 147 knots). The inquiry also examined the airline's specific procedures regarding rejected takeoffs and the inherent risks of runway overruns during high-speed aborts.