Chrissy Teigen Experienced a Scary 'Erroneous Takeoff’ on a Recent Flight — Here's What That Means

05.06.2024 - 15:13 / travelandleisure.com / John F.Kennedy

Celebrity model Chrissy Teigen suffered a scare when her plane aborted takeoff this week, coming to a sudden and complete stop on the runway.

Teigen detailed the ordeal on her Instagram stories, discussing the terrifying encounter when her plane experienced an “erroneous takeoff.” The model appeared unharmed by the incident and was at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Tuesday, according to her social media posts.

“We just had something called an erroneous takeoff,” Teigen said in a video posted to her Instagram stories and viewed by Travel + Leisure. “I don’t even know what erroneous means to be honest with you. We were going a thousand miles an hour to take off and then came to a complete stop. And for like three seconds I was bracing for impact, like absolutely positive that … we were braking because we were going to hit something. And we didn’t and I became very religious all of a sudden … We’re going back to the gate — I’m so grateful for these pilots and the plane for doing what it was supposed to do.” 

In the corner of her post, she tagged her singer husband, John Legend, pleading he “please answer [his] phone” and that she was “on final destination.” 

It wasn’t immediately clear which airport Teigen was taking off from or which airline she was flying with.

An erroneous takeoff can occur when errors are made during the calculation and entry of take-off performance parameters during preflight planning, according to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This could be due to pilot error or because the pilots or flight operations staff were provided incorrect data for things like weight and center of gravity, which are used to make these calculations.

These mistakes «could lead to an error in the take-off distance, the thrust and speed, or trim setting required for take-off, all with potentially catastrophic consequences,» the EASA wrote in the report. An erroneous take-off can lead to collisions, runway overrun, or loss of control after take-off.

An aborted takeoff in that situation may feel scary to passengers on board, but aircraft are designed to do just that as long as their speed isn’t greater than what is called V1, according to aircraft manufacturer Airbus. It’s also one important reason travelers must listen to the flight crew’s instructions, like when it comes to lifting their seats to the upright position and stowing their tray tables for takeoff and landing.