Lufthansa is investigating a serious ground incident after one of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft suffered a nose landing gear failure while parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday. The incident occurred shortly before the aircraft was scheduled to depart for Los Angeles.
According to Lufthansa, only crew members and ground staff were on board at the time, and passengers had not yet begun boarding. Several employees sustained injuries and were provided immediate medical treatment.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show the aircraft’s front landing gear collapsing unexpectedly, causing the nose section to drop onto the tarmac. Emergency response teams quickly arrived at the scene. Reports indicate that cargo loading operations were underway when the incident occurred, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Frankfurt Airport authorities confirmed the incident and stated that no passengers were involved. Lufthansa said it is working closely with relevant authorities to determine whether the failure resulted from a technical malfunction, human error, or another factor.
The affected Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a relatively new aircraft that entered commercial service earlier this year. The aircraft was scheduled to operate a Frankfurt–Los Angeles service before the incident forced its cancellation.
The event is considered unusual for a modern wide-body aircraft and has drawn attention within the aviation industry. Lufthansa currently operates around a dozen Boeing 787 Dreamliners and recently expanded its fleet renewal plans with additional orders for Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Investigations are ongoing, and a detailed assessment of the damage to the aircraft is expected in the coming days.
