BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA — Civil aviation authorities are reviewing a tense approach at El Dorado International Airport (BOG) after a Lufthansa Dreamliner and a Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777 came into close proximity while attempting to land on the same runway Sunday night.
The incident occurred on April 19, 2026, as both long-haul flights converged on Runway 32L, one of the busiest arrival paths in South America.
A Convergence in the Clouds
The situation involved Lufthansa Flight LH542, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arriving from Frankfurt, and Qatar Airways Cargo Flight QR8174, a Boeing 777F arriving from São Paulo.
Flight tracking data reveals a concerning sequence of events as both aircraft lined up for their final approach:
- Positioning: The Lufthansa 787 was positioned directly behind and slightly above the Qatar 777.
- Proximity: As the aircraft descended, the vertical separation between the two jets narrowed to just a few hundred feet—well below the safety margins required for heavy wake turbulence and standard ATC separation.
- The Maneuver: Realizing the lack of adequate spacing, the Lufthansa crew executed an immediate go-around, climbing away from the runway to reset their approach.
Landing Outcomes
Despite the moment of concern, the specialized maneuvers performed by the flight crews prevented the situation from escalating further:
| Flight | Aircraft Type | Origin | Status |
| Qatar QR8174 | Boeing 777 Cargo | São Paulo (GRU) | Landed safely on first approach. |
| Lufthansa LH542 | Boeing 787-9 | Frankfurt (FRA) | Landed safely on second approach. |
Investigation Underway
The Aerocivil (Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority) is expected to analyze the cockpit voice recordings and radar data to determine why the two wide-body aircraft were allowed to occupy the same arrival corridor with such minimal separation.
While “go-arounds” are a routine safety procedure used by pilots to ensure a safe landing environment, the proximity in this specific case has raised questions regarding air traffic management during Bogotá’s peak Sunday night arrival window.
No injuries were reported, and both aircraft were able to taxi to their respective gates without further incident.
