On June 4, 2026, a Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 suffered a collapse of its nose gear at Frankfurt Airport (FRA), resulting in injuries and considerable damage. The aircraft, identified as D-ABPQ, was an updated Dreamliner featuring Allegris interiors. The incident took place after the plane arrived from Austin (AUS) and was getting ready for a flight to Los Angeles (LAX), which was later canceled.
The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) issued an interim report indicating that the collapse was due to a maintenance error. Technicians neglected to place the nose landing gear downlock pin during gear tests, leading to the gear’s withdrawal. This mistake caused two serious injuries along with 21 minor injuries.
The incident echoes a similar occurrence in June 2021 involving a British Airways Boeing 787-8. In that instance, the nose landing gear downlock pin was incorrectly inserted into a different hole, leading to the gear retracting during maintenance.
The interim report underscores the necessity of following maintenance protocols to avoid such incidents. A more extensive investigation will clarify how this oversight came to pass.