Lufthansa plane nosedives at Frankfurt Airport

The aircraft involved

According to the current findings of the investigation, the aircraft's nose gear buckled forward during the process at the gate, causing the nose of the fuselage to sink to the ground. Two flaps on the nose gear broke off, according to the available footage. The engines subsequently also touched the ground.

Next to the aircraft, according to the footage, was a baggage conveyor vehicle, which was pinned by the descending cargo door of the aircraft. Two employees can also be seen in the videos, who were in the vicinity of the aircraft. It was initially unclear whether there were any injuries.

Rescue operation and consequences

Rescue and fire services were dispatched to the aircraft on Thursday. Both Fraport and Lufthansa referred to ongoing investigations into the cause of the incident. The airline announced that it would release further information.

The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation has been involved, according to the company, to clarify the sequence of events. The affected area at Terminal 1 was temporarily closed, causing disruptions to operations at Frankfurt Airport.

Lufthansa emphasized that it takes the incident very seriously and is in contact with the relevant authorities. Travelers were asked to obtain information about possible impacts on flight operations through the official channels of the airline and the airport.

Investigation into the cause

Videos and photos showing the Dreamliner with its nose resting on the ground spread rapidly on social media. The footage shows that the nose of the aircraft was immediately in front of the gate area when the landing gear gave way.

The cause of the nose gear failure is currently unknown. Experts point out that such incidents are rare in civil aviation and are usually thoroughly investigated before an aircraft type is allowed to continue operating.

For Frankfurt Airport, Germany's largest air hub, the incident means further damage to its image during an already tense period. The airline is now under pressure to clarify the background quickly and transparently.