On May 8th, 2024, drama unfolded at Istanbul Airport as a FedEx Boeing 767 cargo plane (flight FX6238) flying from Paris encountered a landing gear malfunction. The nose landing gear failed to deploy, forcing the pilots to attempt a complex emergency landing.
Thankfully, the pilots' expertise shone through. They performed a low pass over the runway, allowing air traffic control to visually confirm the problem. Newsweek reports the plane touched down on runway 16R at 8:17 AM, with the pilots expertly maneuvering to keep the nose raised for as long as possible after the main landing gear made contact.
The incident resulted in no injuries, and the pilots were able to disembark safely. An investigation team from the Turkish Transport Ministry along with FedEx representatives are currently on-site to determine the cause of the malfunction.
The aircraft involved, a Boeing 767-300 freighter, is a vital part of FedEx's cargo operations. Delivered in December 2014, it represents one of the 131 active B767-300F airplanes within the company's extensive fleet.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges pilots face in emergency situations. Similar landing gear malfunctions have occurred throughout aviation history. In 1997, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340 made a dramatic landing at Heathrow Airport due to a faulty main landing gear. Thankfully, despite the significant damage, no one was hurt. Another incident involved a JetBlue flight in 2005, where a malfunctioning nose gear forced an emergency landing in Los Angeles. Passengers on that flight even had the unique experience of watching their own landing unfold on a live television feed onboard!
The FedEx landing in Istanbul highlights the remarkable skill and composure of pilots trained to handle such emergencies. It also underscores the importance of well-coordinated emergency response teams at airports around the world.