A Hawaiian Airlines flight abruptly canceled its takeoff from Los Angeles on Friday after the pilot noticed 'unexpected vibrations.'
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to OneMileAtATime, the incident occurred on Friday morning on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA33. The Airbus A330-200 was scheduled to leave Los Angeles International Airport at 7:45 AM en route to Maui. However, shortly after the aircraft began accelerating down the runway, it abruptly ground to a halt before takeoff.
Per BeatofHawaii, the plane aborted takeoff at 'high speed' before leaving the ground. The aircraft was reportedly traveling roughly 115 MPH at the time, but the pilot noticed a concerning vibration in the nose of the plane and decided to stay on the ground. The outlet explains that while the Airbus A330-200 traveled quickly, it was below V1 speed. V1 speed is also known as the 'point of no return.'
The V1 speed differs between planes. Once an aircraft passes that point, the pilot has committed to the takeoff and cannot stop even if there's a problem. The V1 speed can change depending on aircraft weight, runway conditions, and the weather. According to BeatofHawaii, if the pilot noticed vibrations a few seconds later, they would likely have considered circling the airport for an emergency landing.
After the quick decision by the pilot, the aircraft exited runway 24L and returned to the terminal for inspection. The reason behind the fault remains unclear, although KTLA cites an 'unstable nose wheel' as the issue.
High-Speed Flight Stops Are Rare
While pilots can cancel a takeoff before hitting V1 speed, the maneuver is reportedly uncommon. When planes reach roughly 90 MPH on the runway, they are classed as traveling at 'high speed' for an abort decision. Still, it's a safe maneuver and part of regular training.
A video on YouTube by Airline Videos shows the Hawaiian Airlines plane slowing down. The speed of the stop caused the rear landing gear to emit black smoke. The pilot is calm throughout, responding to an Air Traffic Control query with "No assistance needed; we'll be off on the next exit."
The airport allowed passengers off the plane while engineers resolved the issue. Flight 33 eventually left from LAX to Maui after a roughly four-hour delay.
