Overview
- The nose landing gear of a Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 (registration D-ABPQ, named 'Herne') unexpectedly retracted while the aircraft was parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport, causing the forward fuselage to drop to the tarmac.
- Several crew and ground staff were injured and treated in hospital, and no passengers were on board when the incident occurred.
- Lufthansa canceled Flight LH450 to Los Angeles and began rebooking affected customers, and the airline says technicians moved the damaged jet to a hangar for detailed inspection.
- Investigators from the airline and relevant aviation authorities are examining mechanical, hydraulic, maintenance and procedural factors with Boeing providing support, and no definitive cause has been released.
- The near-new 787-9 suffered visible structural damage that could require complex composite repairs, which may extend out-of-service time and draw regulatory, insurer and passenger-compensation follow-up.