German airline Lufthansa reported injuries among several employees following the collapse of a Boeing jet’s nose gear. The aircraft was at a gate at Frankfurt airport when the incident occurred. Only crew members and ground staff were aboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at the time. The front tip of the plane hit the ground before passenger boarding for a scheduled flight to Los Angeles, leading to the flight’s cancellation.
Lufthansa stated, “Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention.” An investigation with relevant authorities is ongoing. The aircraft, delivered in January and a recent addition to Lufthansa’s wide-body fleet, has operated 137 flights since becoming operational in February, according to Flightradar24.
Boeing acknowledged, “aware of the incident” and is “supporting our customer.” Video from the scene showed the front wheels sliding forward, causing the plane’s nose to drop several meters. A ground crew member had to quickly back away. Upon impact, the doors to the nose gear bay broke off.
Jeff Guzzetti, a former U.S. federal aviation crash investigator, noted, “very unusual” for a nose landing gear to collapse at a standstill. He refrained from speculation but identified potential causes like prior damage to the landing gear, mechanical failure, or maintenance issues. Investigations will focus on the plane’s maintenance history and system records. Flight data might be reviewed to understand previous landings’ operations.
In 2021, a similar event at London’s Heathrow involved a Boeing 787-8’s nose landing gear during maintenance. The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch found a locking pin inserted incorrectly, allowing gear retraction despite safeguards.
The 787 Dreamliner, a twin-aisle aircraft for long-haul routes, was first used in 2011. Thursday’s model can hold up to 296 passengers, depending on the configuration. The 787 program has faced production issues, with deliveries paused at times since 2020 due to fuselage gaps and pressurization bulkhead problems.
In 2023, Boeing announced delivery delays to inspect tail fittings due to a “nonconforming condition,” which was not a safety risk for aircraft in service.