An Antonov An-124 suffered a runway excursion at Guarulhos Airport (GRU) in São Paulo, Brazil, early on May 11, 2021.
The plane, registered UR-82007 and belonging to Antonov Airlines, was operating flight ADB3829 from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) United States with a stopover at Paramaribo Zanderij International Airport (PDB) in Suriname. The freighter was transporting 60 tons of medical aid to help the fight against COVID-19. The flight was an initiative from the US Department of State.
As part of a broader effort by @StateDept to get urgently needed medications to Brazil, ASPR’s Strategic National Stockpile is providing supplies of six pharmaceuticals that help hospitalized patients tolerate life-saving breathing tubes used in ventilators. pic.twitter.com/y9EwtweCRy
— ASPR (@PHEgov) May 11, 2021
At the time of the landing, air traffic control reported low visibility because of fog. The An-124 touched down on runway 09L, but could not stop in time. It ended its course in the soft ground. The airport had to close the runway for about two hours while the massive freighter was being towed.
Antonov An-124 overruns runway at Sao Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil. No injuries reported. https://t.co/NJyyzv7Dji pic.twitter.com/gXp72cggoo
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@breakingavnews) May 11, 2021
The incident did not cause any injuries or damage to the aircraft. In the evening of the same day, the An-124 took off for Espargos Amilcar Cabral International Airport (SID) in Cape Verde. The Brazilian Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center opened an investigation.
With up to 150 tonnes of payload, the An-124-100M Ruslan aircraft is one of the largest transport aircraft in the world, second only to the unique 250-tonne payload An-225 Mriya, also operated by Antonov Airlines.
In December 2020, the Russian air carrier Volga-Dnepr Airlines grounded its eight Antonov An-124 freighters for about a month after a serious engine incident.