Overview
- A Boeing 737 Max operating for Wizz Air under a charter nearly ran off Luton runway during its April 2025 takeoff after using an intersection departure that shortened the available runway.
- Investigators concluded the flight crew did not correctly verify and enter the required takeoff V speeds into the flight computer, which kept engine power lower than needed for the shorter run.
- FlightRadar24 analysis and Luton surveillance footage corroborate the AAIB reconstruction that the aircraft lifted off with roughly 162 metres of runway remaining at about 4 metres of altitude, below regulatory minima.
- The AAIB warned that a loss of engine thrust in those final seconds would likely have prevented a safe stop or climb, and the operating carrier has reviewed procedures and issued new crew guidance.
- The incident highlights how charter arrangements and intersection departures can complicate operational checks and is likely to prompt industry and regulatory focus on crew data-entry and ATC routing practices.