Video shows FedEx cargo plane land on its nose in Istanbul after landing gear fails
A Boeing-767 type cargo plane operated by FedEx ran into a couple of bumps and sparks as it attempted to land at Istanbul Airport in Turkey without its front landing gear Wednesday.
The cargo plane, operated by FedEx, was flying from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, according to a statement by Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, when the pilot of the aircraft informed the control tower at Istanbul Airport that its landing gear had failed to open. The official said airport officials sprang into action and assisted the aircraft in touching down, while managing to remain on the runway. Emergency response, medical teams and necessary fire extinguishing equipment was also deployed on standby, Uraloğlu said.
A Boeing-767 type cargo plane operated by FedEx ran into a couple of bumps and sparks as it attempted to land at Istanbul Airport in Turkey without its front landing gear on May 8, 2024.
Video footage from the landing shows the plane touching down on the runway before it tilts forward and starts dragging on its nose the runway creating a cloud of dust and sparks. It eventually comes to a stop with its fuselage touching the ground. As the plane comes to a halt, fire trucks douse the plane with water.
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“With the successful guidance of our staff, the aircraft landed smoothly on its fuselage,” Uraloğlu said.
No injuries reported
Two pilots were onboard the aircraft, according to Uraloğlu’s statement, and were medically assessed after the landing. No injuries were reported.
The runway where the plane had landed was temporarily closed for all flights as multiple agencies gathered on site. A video shared by the minister shows crews and officials gathered around the aircraft while a fire truck and ambulance are parked on the side.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, said Uraloğlu without going into further details into why the landing gear had failed.
Another Boeing plane issue? Don’t fall for the headlines.
The freight aircraft involved in the accident is nearly 10 years old and was delivered to FedEx in 2014, according to a Boeing spokesperson. Following delivery, operators oversee ongoing maintenance for airplanes in operation. Reuters reported that Boeing 767 freighter is one of the most common cargo planes.
FedEx, meanwhile, in a statement to USA TODAY, said that the FedEx Express Flight 6268 was flying from Paris to Istanbul when it experienced an issue during landing.
“There were no reported injuries to our crew members,” FedEx said. “We are coordinating with investigation authorities and will provide additional information as it is available.”
While Boeing incidents have been in the news in recent months after a series of high-profile incidents, aviation experts maintain you shouldn’t worry about flying.
“We don’t have to worry that there’s something systemically wrong with aviation,” Clint Balog, an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, previously told USA TODAY.
Contributing: Staff, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Video shows FedEx cargo plane land on its nose in Istanbul after landing gear fails