MUNICH — Aviation safety authorities in Germany have launched an investigation after a Lufthansa Airbus A380 superjumbo damaged runway approach lighting while landing at Munich Airport on Monday, August 17. The event comes just 48 hours after a separate widebody aircraft struck runway lights on the very same strip, raising eyebrows across the industry.
Flight LH459, carrying 351 passengers and crew from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), was making its final approach to Munich’s Runway 26L around 5:10 p.m. local time following a 10-hour transatlantic crossing. According to preliminary operational reports, the double-deck airliner (registration D-AIML) touched down short of the designated runway threshold.
As the massive jet flew low over the approach path, its landing gear collided with and damaged several runway lights located on the paved chevron area ahead of the main landing zone.
Despite the low touchdown, the aircraft remained fully under control. The flight crew rolled out along the 4,000-meter (13,123-foot) concrete strip and taxied the superjumbo to its assigned gate without further complication. No emergency evacuation was required, and no injuries were reported among the 351 people on board.
The superjumbo remained grounded at Munich for technical inspections and landing gear repairs following the impact.
Second Occurrence on Runway 26L in 48 Hours
The incident follows a dramatic mishap on the exact same runway on Saturday, August 15. In that earlier event, a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (registration VN-A869) bound for Hanoi experienced acceleration issues during its takeoff roll on Runway 26L.
The Dreamliner barely managed to lift off with roughly 300 feet (91 meters) of pavement remaining, striking approach lights at the far departure end of the runway. The aircraft subsequently suffered a tail strike and tire pressure warnings, forcing it to return to Munich where it made a safe landing on Runway 26R before becoming disabled on the taxiway.
| Incident Profile Comparison | Lufthansa LH459 | Vietnam Airlines VN36 |
| Date | August 17, 2026 | August 15, 2026 |
| Aircraft | Airbus A380-800 (D-AIML) | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (VN-A869) |
| Flight Phase | Final Landing / Touchdown | Takeoff Roll / Departure |
| Runway Involved | 26L (Landing short of threshold) | 26L (Overrun at departure end) |
| Consequences | Threshold lights damaged, grounded for inspection | Approach lights damaged, tail strike, divert back |
Federal Investigators Recover Black Boxes
Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) has opened official proceedings into both occurrences. Investigators have already retrieved the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Lufthansa A380 to reconstruct the exact glideslope, airspeeds, and pilot inputs during the final seconds before impact.
While weather in Munich had included severe thunderstorms earlier in the day, visibility at the time of LH459’s arrival was around 10 kilometers with only light passing showers.
BFU officials cautioned against drawing conclusions connecting the two high-profile events. Investigators emphasized that while both involved heavy international airliners damaging light fixtures on Runway 26L, one occurred during a landing touchdown while the other occurred during a takeoff departure. There is currently no evidence suggesting a shared systemic or technical failure between the two flights.
