Watch: Boeing 777 scrapes tail on runway, emits smoke during takeoff in Italy

A LATAM Airlines Boeing 777 was captured on video scraping its tail along an Italian runway, emitting smoke and sparks during takeoff. The incident occurred on Tuesday at Milan Malpensa Airport as the aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers was preparing to depart for Brazil’s Sao Paulo, according to local reports from Corriere della Serra.
The footage revealed the jet’s rear end abruptly dropping mid-takeoff, seemingly due to a malfunction.As the plane accelerated down the runway, its tail dragged for several hundred feet, leaving a trail of gray smoke in its wake. Sparks were also visible emanating from the Boeing’s tail section, as reported by Corriere.

Despite the alarming occurrence, the skilled pilots maintained control of the aircraft and successfully lifted off. Upon reaching a safe altitude, they contacted the control tower, requesting permission to return to the airport for a thorough inspection.
An aviation expert commended the pilots’ composure to Corriere della Serra, saying, “The pilots were good, from what we can see, at not panicking, at continuing to maintain control of the aircraft until it took flight because if they had interrupted takeoff, they would have killed everyone on board.”
The expert further highlighted, “If they had stopped the maneuver, it would have been a massacre.”
Authorities from Italy, Brazil, and the United States are currently collaborating to investigate the cause of this perplexing incident. The Boeing 777 involved in the event has a typical passenger capacity of up to 500 individuals.