SPLIT, Croatia — A Croatia Airlines Airbus A220-300 suffered a runway excursion Saturday at Split Airport after aborting takeoff at high speed, veering off the runway and striking a runway sign post before coming to a stop on the adjacent grass. All 130 passengers and five crew members escaped without injury.
Flight OU412, bound for Frankfurt International Airport, accelerated down Runway 23 at approximately 1:29 p.m. local time when the aircraft suddenly veered left during the takeoff roll. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 recorded the jet’s maximum ground speed at 131 knots — near the aircraft’s V1 decision speed — before the crew initiated a rejected takeoff.
The A220-300, registration 9A-CAN, departed the paved runway surface onto the left-side grass, plowing through multiple runway edge lights and striking a runway sign post. The impact damaged the No. 1 engine’s air intake lip and left engine cowling. Croatian air accident investigators later confirmed the aircraft also shed a landing gear wheel during braking. Croatia Airlines described the overall aircraft damage as “minor.”
Passengers disembarked via stairs after the aircraft came to a halt approximately 6,000 feet down the runway. No injuries were reported among the 135 occupants.
A Nearly New Aircraft
The A220-300 involved, MSN 55363, was manufactured in 2025 and delivered to Croatia Airlines in June of that year — making it less than 12 months old at the time of the incident. It is one of six A220-300s in the carrier’s fleet; Croatia Airlines operates a total of eight A220s alongside four Airbus A319s, three De Havilland Dash 8 Q400s, and one ATR 72.
In a statement, Croatia Airlines confirmed the flight “interrupted its takeoff” and said the airline was “in coordination with Split Airport, the competent services and the aviation authorities.” The carrier added that passenger and crew safety remained “an absolute priority” and that further details would be released after the completion of expert checks and official procedures.
Weather Conditions at the Time
Meteorological data recorded by the Aviation Safety Network show crosswind conditions at Split Airport around the time of the incident. A METAR observation near 11:30 UTC — approximately 1:30 p.m. local — recorded winds from 280 degrees at 17 knots, with directional variability between 240 and 300 degrees. An earlier observation had logged gusts to 27 knots alongside light rain.
For Runway 23, which aligns at approximately 230 degrees magnetic, those wind readings would have introduced a meaningful right-to-left crosswind component during the takeoff roll. Whether wind played a primary or contributing role in the directional loss of control has not been established.
Runway Excursion Cause Under Investigation
No official cause has been determined. Aviation investigators and analysts have raised several possible contributing factors, including thrust asymmetry from a left-engine anomaly, a tire or brake failure, uncommanded nosewheel steering, or the crosswind gusts — or some combination. The aircraft’s sharp leftward veer observed in video footage is consistent with multiple technical scenarios.
Croatia’s Air Accident Investigation Agency (AIN) has formally opened an investigation. Flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been secured and will be central to determining the sequence of events. A preliminary report is not expected for several months.
A high-speed rejected takeoff — initiated above approximately 100 knots — is one of the most demanding procedures a flight crew can execute, requiring immediate, coordinated action to stop the aircraft before the end of the available runway. Earlier this month, a JetBlue A321 aborted takeoff at Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport after a bird strike, underscoring how swiftly high-speed RTOs can cascade from a single triggering event.
Airport Impact
Split Airport temporarily closed the affected runway while emergency response vehicles attended to the scene and investigators began their initial assessment. The closure triggered a chain of flight cancellations and diversions before operations resumed by late afternoon. Knock-on delays continued into the evening, affecting scores of additional flights in and out of Split.
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Sources
- Aviation Safety Network – Incident Report: Airbus A220-300 9A-CAN, 16 May 2026
- Simple Flying – Over 130 Knots: Croatia Airlines Airbus A220 Veers Off Runway After Aborted Takeoff
- EX-YU Aviation News – Croatia Airlines A220 Skids Off Runway
- Croatia Week – Passengers, Crew Safe: Croatia Airlines Aircraft Aborts Take-Off at Split
