On 8th May 2024, a FedEx Boeing 767F landed without its nose gear at Istanbul Airport and stopped in an unpaved area leaving the aircraft in a disabled state.
The FedEx Boeing 767-300F freighter with registration N110FE was operating flight FX6238 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Istanbul Airport (IST) in Turkey.
However, during the approach, the crew encountered issues deploying the nose landing gear. To assess the situation, the pilots performed a low pass over the runway at Istanbul Airport for a visual inspection.
Despite the landing gear malfunction, the pilots managed to land the aircraft safely on runway 16R at Istanbul Airport. Emergency crews were on standby and no injuries were reported.
The Boeing 763 type aircraft with the N110FE registration mark belonging to FedEx Airlines reported the information to the Istanbul Airport ATC unit that the front landing gear was not opened due to the hydraulic failure according to the pilot statement at 07:55 locally, and the front landing gear landed on the 16R runway in a closed state at 08:17 local and remained on the runway.”
Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Statement
Early reports suggest a potential loss of hydraulic power may have been the culprit behind the landing gear failure. This is because the nose landing gear remained retracted during the landing, and both the nose and main landing gear doors remained open.
The specific aircraft involved, a Boeing 767-300SF with registration N110FE, was manufactured in 2014. The B767F reportedly drifted 370 meters after landing.
Turkish aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the landing gear failure. FedEx is cooperating with the investigation and will work to ensure the safe removal of the aircraft from the unpaved area and minimize disruption to airport operations.