I must say, this is some pretty dramatic footage, and kudos to the crew… I think?
Croatia Airlines high speed rejected takeoff in Split
This incident happened today (Saturday, May 16, 2026), and involves Croatia Airlines flight OU412, which was scheduled to operate from Split, Croatia (SPU), to Frankfurt, Germany (FRA). The 579-mile flight was operated by a brand new Airbus A220-300 with the registration code 9A-CAN. It had 135 people onboard, including five crew members and 130 passengers.
While attempting to depart on runway 23 at Split Airport, the crew rejected the takeoff at a high speed, with the aircraft recording a speed of up to 123 knots (very close to the takeoff speed). This happened because the plane suddenly started veering left, to the point that it went beyond the left runway edge, and even continued parallel to the runway.
The plane ultimately came to a stop around 6,000 feet down the runway. Passengers were then taken off the airplane by stairs, and fortunately no one was injured. Given that the plane hit several signs, the engine cowling was badly damaged (though hopefully the engine as such is fine).
The airline released the following statement about the incident:
“Croatia Airlines Airbus A220-300 aircraft, registration number 9A-CAN, which was supposed to operate the regular international flight OU412 on the Split-Frankfurt route today, interrupted its take-off at Split Airport. We are in coordination with Split Airport, the competent services and the aviation authorities. The safety of passengers and crew members is an absolute priority for the company, and more information will be released after the completion of the first expert checks and official procedures.”
What on earth happened with this takeoff?
An investigation is of course now being performed into what happened to this Croatia Airlines A220. A few things stand out:
- It doesn’t look like there’s any sudden rudder movement to the left that causes the plane to turn, so at least visually, that doesn’t appear to be a factor
- While brakes are eventually applied, it also doesn’t appear that the left brakes are somehow applied unintentionally, as the plane doesn’t initially slow down
- It almost like maybe the left engine suddenly loses power, or something, with the way the nose swings, and how the pilots correct
- The Aviation Herald reports that at the time of the incident, winds were 310 at 17 knots gusting to 27 knots, which was a pretty strong and direct crosswind
That crosswind in and of itself shouldn’t have sent the plane off the runway. Instead, it sure seems like something went wrong with the plane, and then having a very strong crosswind in that same direction as the issue sent the plane even more off course.
We’ll see what an investigation reveals, but kudos to the pilots for preventing a worse outcome, either with injuries, or where the gear could’ve collapsed. I’m sure it’ll still take some time for this plane to be fixed, but it could’ve been worse. It’s certainly not ideal timing to have this plane out of service, ahead of the summer season…
Bottom line
A Croatia Airlines Airbus A220 had a dramatic attempted takeoff today from Split. The plane suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, which ultimately sent the plane off the runway, and caused an aborted takeoff. This all happened at a speed of over 120 knots, close to the plane’s takeoff speed.
It remains to be seen what exactly caused this, but I’m happy to see that no one was injured.
What do you make of this Croatia Airlines A220 runway excursion?
