The landing gear of a SunExpress Boeing 737 aircraft, bound for Gaziantep (GZT), collapsed while taxiing for departure at Antalya Airport (AYT) on Friday, Feb. 13. No passengers or crew members were reported injured.
SunExpress Boeing 737 from Antalya to Gaziantep
According to the Aviation Herald, the incident occurred when the SunExpress Boeing 737-800 was taxiing for departure, and the aircraft’s left landing gear collapsed.
As a result, the aircraft rolled left and came to rest on its left engine (engine number one), leaving it stuck on the taxiway. Reports indicate that all passengers and crew members were disembarked without any injuries.
SunExpress has confirmed that the aircraft suffered a technical malfunction, causing the incident.
A SunExpress spokesperson stated:
“SunExpress flight XQ7646 experienced a technical issue involving the landing gear strut during taxiing for the Antalya-Gaziantep service. Passengers were safely disembarked, and the aircraft was taken out of operation for technical inspection. The Antalya-Gaziantep service will be operated by a different aircraft.
“At SunExpress, the safety of our passengers and crew members is always our top priority.”
The airline arranged an alternative aircraft for the affected passengers, and they were flown to their destination after a four-hour delay.
Landing gear collapse while taxiing
In an aircraft, a landing gear collapse can result from many factors, but most often it is due to human error. But considering the level of safety in aircraft today can help prevent such accidents.
The landing gear pins are one such protection measure, with a bright red tag reading “Remove Before Flight”. These pins are inserted when the flight is stationary on the ground and prevent the gears from retracting, even if someone attempts to retract them from the flight deck.
Although various speculations are circulating about this accident, the true cause of the collapse can only be determined through an investigation of the aircraft, its components, and data logs.
What do you think of this incident? Let us know in the comments.
