Several Lufthansa employees were injured after the nose landing gear of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner collapsed while the aircraft was parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport. The incident occured before passengers boarded a scheduled flight to Los Angeles, which was later cancelled.
Authorities and Lufthansa have since launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Gate Collapse Halts Departure
The aircraft was sitting at the gate when the nose gear gave way, bringing the nose of the jet down onto the tarmac. Only crew members were on board at the time of the incident.
In a statement, the airline revealed that “Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention.”
Footage shared online appears to show the aircraft’s front wheels moving forward, moments later, the nose section fell several metres. Upon impact, the nose gear bay was damaged.
The Boeing 787-9 involved is one of Lufthansa’s newest aircraft. Flight-tracking data revealed it was delivered to the airline in January 2025. It entered commercial service the following month. Since then, it has reportedly completed 137 flights.
Boeing also responded to the incident, stating that it was “aware of the incident” and is “supporting our customer.”
Authorities Review Potential Factors
Former U.S. Federal Aviation Crash Investigator, Jeff Guzzetti, said it is “very unusual” for a nose landing gear to collapse at standstill. He added how the investigation will be rigorous, covering everything from maintenance records to the assembly of the plane.
“They’re going to look at every square inch of the nose landing gear strut and the mechanisms that operate it,” Guzzetti said.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a 2021 event at London Heathrow Airport also involving another Boeing 787. During maintenance, the aircraft’s nose gear unexpectedly retracted. This caused the front of the jet to fall off onto the pavement. Investigators later concluded that a safety locking pin was incorrectly inserted.
In recent years, the Boeing 787 programme has faced quality-control issues. Additionally, several deliveries have been affected by this. While regulators have increased scrutiny of Boeing, the company implied there isnt any relation between prior issues and Thursday’s incident. The investigation continues.
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