Rejected Takeoff RTO

That day while spotting at Haneda Airport, I witnessed this unexpected incident (Shanghai Airlines A330-300, registration B-6096). The following is a chronological record of the event.

January 31, 2014

13:58:32 B-6096 moved along Taxiway W towards the southern RWY05

14:01:21 Arrived at the intersection of Taxiway A and Taxiway R

14:03:31 Entered Taxiway S, preparing to queue for takeoff

14:08:36 Saw B-6096 suddenly decelerate during the takeoff roll, a cloud of blue smoke near the landing gear

14:08:49 The plane crept forward a few steps slowly, then braked to a stop. After this, Runway 05 was out of service for a while

14:11:32 The plane taxied to the end of Runway 05, then turned around

14:25:59 After more than ten minutes, it finally returned to Taxiway R. The crew must have been performing various checks in the cockpit during this time

14:34:13 Ten minutes later, it was back on Taxiway W

Afterwards, I couldn’t find this plane anywhere. What actually happened that day?

According to a friend on Weibo: “The plane performed a Rejected Takeoff (RTO) and the check indicated no problem, but the tires overheated due to the RTO and needed cooling… Later, this flight was cancelled. It seems accommodation couldn’t be arranged; everyone received 8,000 JPY for accommodation subsidies and 600 RMB for delay compensation. Food and drink were provided separately. Finally, the passengers spent the night at Haneda…”

Regardless, from a passenger’s perspective, being able to stop on the ground is the safest outcome. Even if it involves a bit of suffering that night, it brings peace of mind…