New Lufthansa Dreamliner collapses while parked, dramatic scene captured on camera; crew member injured
A Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner suffered a nose landing-gear failure while reportedly parked at a gate at Frankfurt airport on Thursday, injuring several employees and damaging the nearly new aircraft shortly before it was scheduled to depart for Los Angeles.
“Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention,” Lufthansa said in a statement, reported news agency AP.
According to the airline, the incident occurred shortly after noon while the aircraft was stationed at the gate with only crew members and ground staff on board. Passengers had not yet begun boarding the flight.
Video shows moment aircraft drops to ground
A purported video of the incident shared by fligh-tracking platform, Flightradar24, on X appeared to show the moment the front section of the aircraft suddenly collapsed as the nose landing gear retracted unexpectedly. The footage shows the aircraft dropping onto the tarmac, with emergency responders quickly surrounding the plane.
The video also appears to show the aircraft’s right forward cargo door open and a loading vehicle attached at the time of the mishap. One or two ground personnel can be seen near the aircraft moments before the collapse, narrowly avoiding what could have been a more serious accident.
HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
No passengers on board
A spokeswoman for Frankfurt Airport confirmed the incident involving the Boeing 787-9 shortly after midday on Thursday and said no passengers were on board when it occurred, reported Bloomberg.
Lufthansa also stressed that passengers had not yet boarded the aircraft. The carrier said only crew members and ground staff were present.
“Several employees sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical attention,” the company said. “We are currently investigating the exact circumstances in cooperation with the relevant authorities.”
Authorities have not yet determined whether the incident was caused by human error, a technical malfunction or another factor.
Aircraft had entered service only months ago
The damaged aircraft is relatively new. Flight tracking data cited by Bloomberg, shows the Dreamliner was built last year and entered commercial service in February.
The aircraft had been scheduled to operate a flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles later on Thursday.
The incident represents an unusual failure involving a modern widebody jet. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner fleet is widely used by airlines around the world for long-haul international routes.
Lufthansa has been gradually introducing additional Boeing 787 aircraft into its fleet, though deliveries have previously faced delays linked to certification issues involving the airline’s new Allegris business-class cabins.
The carrier, according to the Bloomberg report, currently operates around a dozen Dreamliners and has more on order. Last month, Lufthansa announced orders for an additional 10 Boeing 787-9s and 10 Airbus A350-900s as part of its fleet renewal programme.
The airline operates a mixed fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, including Boeing 747 jumbo jets and Airbus A350s.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner uses landing gear manufactured by Safran Landing Systems. The aircraft features two main landing-gear assemblies and a two-wheel nose gear, and typically carries around 260 passengers on long-haul routes with a range of about 8,300 nautical miles.
(With Bloomberg, AP inputs)