SAS Flight Aborts Take-Off After Pilot Mistakes Taxiway for Runway
Passengers aboard an SAS flight from Brussels to Copenhagen were left 'terrified' after the pilot aborted take-off when he reportedly mistook the taxiway for the runway. The incident occurred yesterday evening, February 5, leading to the cancellation of flight SK2590 and an emergency evacuation just before midnight.
Dramatic Moments on Board
The Airbus A320neo, carrying 165 people, was running about an hour and 15 minutes behind schedule due to snow and delays at Brussels Airport. According to passenger Simon Berneblad Mandegård, who was onboard with fellow travellers Elias Belokozovski Johansson and Carl-Wictor Svensson, the situation felt intense from the start.
'We taxied out as normal, lined up, and suddenly began accelerating like a regular take-off,' Simon told NeedToKnow. 'But after gaining quite a lot of speed, something clearly wasn't right. The pilot suddenly slammed on the brakes, extremely hard, and the whole cabin felt the force immediately.'
High-Speed Abort and Emergency Response
Air Live reported that the plane reached a maximum speed of around 125mph before the abrupt abort. The crew realized they were quickly running out of tarmac, as the taxiway is shorter than a standard runway. The aircraft ended up partially on a grassed area with overheated brakes.
Simon described a sharp manoeuvre to keep the plane on the paved surface, noting how close they came to running out of space. 'It was a very dramatic moment,' he said, adding that emergency services arrived quickly on the scene.
Pilot's Reaction and Investigation
According to Simon, the pilot told passengers he had never experienced anything like it in his 28 years of flying, suggesting possible miscommunication with the control tower. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but passengers described the event as one of the most intense situations they had ever experienced on a plane.
SAS confirmed that an 'irregularity' occurred and stated: 'Safety is our absolute priority. We are currently conducting a thorough internal investigation together with local authorities to understand the sequence of events.' The airline offered alternative flights to Copenhagen for all affected passengers.
