Frankfurt (Germany): In quite a bizarre but scary development, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from Lufthansa’s fleet collapsed suddenly while it was parked at a gate at the Frankfurt airport on Thursday.
The unexpected collapse was due to a nose landing gear failure.
The aircraft, which was delivered to Lufthansa five months ago, was preparing for departure to Los Angeles as flight LH-450 when the accident occurred this afternoon (Germany time).
The relative new plane suffered heavy damages, and a number of employees were injured.
“Several employees were injured and are currently receiving medical attention,” Lufthansa said in a statement.
“We are currently investigating the exact circumstances in cooperation with the relevant authorities.”
There is no word yet on whether the incident was caused by human error, a technical malfunction or any another factor.
According to the airline, the mishap took place shortly after noon with only crew members and ground staff on board, preparing the aircraft for the Frankfurt-Los Angeles journey. Passengers were due to start boarding the flight a few minutes later.
A video of the incident shared by flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 showed the moment the front section of the aircraft suddenly collapsing, as emergency responders quickly surrounded the plane.
Following a gear collapse at the gate in Frankfurt, Lufthansa 787-9 D-ABPQ has been significantly damaged. Today’s LH450 has been canceled. We are awaiting more information on any potential injuries. pic.twitter.com/FTBK4m2WyS
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) June 4, 2026
A Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has suffered significant damage after its nose landing gear collapsed while parked at the gate at Frankfurt Airport. Via @AirNavRadar
The aircraft, registered D-ABPQ, was preparing to operate Lufthansa flight #LH450 when the incident… pic.twitter.com/c8l95xYR8o
— Flight Emergency (@FlightEmergency) June 4, 2026
A Frankfurt airport spokesperson confirmed the incident involving and said no passenger was on board at the time, reported Bloomberg.
Lufthansa also stressed that passengers had not yet boarded the aircraft. The carrier said only crew members and ground staff were present.
“Several employees sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical attention,” the company said. “We are currently investigating the exact circumstances in cooperation with the relevant authorities.”
Authorities have not yet determined whether the incident was caused by human error, a technical malfunction or another factor.