FedEx Pilot Lands Boeing 767 Cargo Plane Without Nose-Gear

A FedEx cargo aircraft made a heart-stopping emergency landing at Istanbul Airport Wednesday after its front landing gear malfunctioned.

The Boeing 767 cargo plane was on its way from Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport to Istanbul when pilots realized the front landing gear failed, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

An emergency landing was requested, and IST’s Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) service teams were dispatched, according to Anadolu Agency.

Th plane touched down around 8:17 a.m., following two apparent missed approaches. The plane also apparently made a “low pass” over the control tower to visually confirm the problem, according to a former TAP commander.

The plane landed on Runway 16R, which is currently closed to flights. Efforts to tow the plane off the runway are underway.

Videos circulating on social media show the 767 using its back landing gear and then dipping its nose with the front portion of the fuselage. Photos show the FedEx plane with its nose touching the runway after landing.

“Istanbul Airport is one of the most comprehensive and qualified airports in the world,” Istanbul Gov. Davut Gul told Anadolu Agency. “So, a disruption on any runway does not affect flights. Flights continue.”

Only runway 16R was temporarily closed, according to Istanbul Airport operator IGA.

“Meanwhile, all other runways, including backup ones, are operating without disruptions,” IGA told Anadolu. “ARFF teams are currently working to relocate the aircraft to a secure area and resume flight operations on the runway.”

The cabin crew evacuated the plane without any injuries.

“The situation was effectively managed before the planned fuselage landing, thanks to the swift action of ARFF teams stationed on the runway, ensuring no casualties occurred,” IGA said.

Boeing has been in the news recently for multiple controversies over quality-control issues, which peaked when a panel blew off a 737 Max plane midflight in January. A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board investigation suggested the planemaker did not properly put the bolts into the door plug to prevent the part from blowing out.

In February, pilots on a United Airlines 737 Max reported that its flight controls were jammed, as the plane was landing in Newark, New Jersey.

The Federal Aviation Administration has also flagged de-icing equipment safety issues on the 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner Boeing planes. The planes are currently allowed to continue to fly, and Boeing claimed the issue does not pose an immediate risk.

An investigation into the FedEx cargo plane accident is ongoing.