TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – A routine landing turned into a high-stakes emergency on Sunday, February 8, 2026, after a T’way Air Boeing 737-800 lost one of its primary wheels upon touchdown at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
The Incident
Flight TW687, arriving from Jeju, South Korea, touched down on Taoyuan’s North Runway at approximately 15:52 local time. Witnesses and airport officials reported that as the aircraft (registration HL8088) slowed down, the right main landing gear tire completely detached from the axle.
In a dramatic scene, the tire rolled across the tarmac as the pilots maintained control of the aircraft, successfully taxiing to Gate A2 under the plane’s own power.
Airport Gridlock
The detachment left debris across the active runway, forcing Taoyuan International Airport Corp to immediately suspend operations on the North Runway. For nearly two hours, the airport was restricted to single-runway operations, utilizing only the South Runway for all takeoffs and landings.
The closure triggered a wave of logistical challenges during a peak arrival window:
- Delayed Flights: 14 flights in total (8 arrivals and 6 departures).
- FOD Clearance: Ground teams spent over 90 minutes performing a “Foreign Object Debris” (FOD) sweep to ensure no metallic fragments remained that could damage other aircraft.
- Resumption: The North Runway was officially reopened at 17:35 local time.
Investigation Launched
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) and the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) have launched a joint investigation into the mechanical failure. Initial focus is directed at the wheel assembly and the torque of the axle nut to determine if the detachment was caused by a maintenance oversight or a structural failure of the landing gear.
T’way Air has issued an apology to passengers and stated they are “fully cooperating with Taiwanese authorities” to determine the root cause of the incident.
