LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E170 Veers Off Runway in Vilnius Snow

A LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E170 encountered a runway excursion at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania on November 26, 2025, prompting emergency response procedures and temporary airfield closures. Flight LO771, arriving from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, touched down at 13:43 local time but veered off the runway surface while taxiing toward the terminal stand.

According to airport officials and Flightradar24 data, the aircraft—registered as SP-LDK—departed Warsaw at 12:01 local time and completed its approach to Vilnius without incident before encountering difficulties during ground operations. All passengers were successfully evacuated from the aircraft, and authorities confirmed no injuries resulted from the incident.

Emergency response teams, including fire trucks and ground service vehicles, were deployed to the scene. The runway was subsequently closed until 17:00 local time to facilitate aircraft recovery operations and safety assessments. During the closure period, arriving flights bound for Vilnius Airport were diverted to alternative regional airports.

While airport authorities have not officially confirmed the incident’s cause, meteorological conditions at the time strongly suggest adverse weather played a significant role. Lithuania experienced widespread snowfall beginning early on November 26, 2025, with forecasts predicting continued precipitation through November 27. Weather data available to the flight crew indicated heavy sporadic snowfall, mist, near-freezing temperatures of 0°C (32°F), and significantly reduced visibility—conditions that substantially impact runway friction and aircraft handling characteristics during landing and taxi operations.

The Embraer E170, a regional turbofan aircraft capable of carrying approximately 70-80 passengers, is widely operated across European regional routes. This incident highlights the operational challenges winter weather presents for aviation, particularly during transition phases when aircraft are most vulnerable to directional control issues.

The incident underscores the importance of runway maintenance protocols, aircraft braking system performance verification, and crew decision-making during adverse weather conditions. Industry observers note that such weather-related runway excursions, while serious, typically result in limited consequences when proper emergency response procedures are executed—as demonstrated by the safe passenger evacuation.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764165634324-970