Home / Disasters and Accidents / Lufthansa Jumbo Jet Skims Runway in Near Tail Strike
Lufthansa Jumbo Jet Skims Runway in Near Tail Strike
12 Oct
Summary
- Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 nearly struck the runway tail on arrival.
- The flight performed a go-around and landed safely on the second attempt.
- This is not the first reported eventful landing for this flight.
On October 10, a Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 operating flight LH456 from Frankfurt to Los Angeles experienced a significant incident upon arrival. The aircraft, registered as D-ABYK, came perilously close to a tail strike, with its tail missing the runway surface by mere inches during its first touchdown.
This alarming event necessitated a go-around, a standard safety procedure, according to Lufthansa. The quadjet circled the airport and eventually landed safely on its second attempt approximately 15 minutes after the initially planned touchdown.
While the aircraft sustained no damage, the return flight, LH457, departed nearly an hour behind schedule. Despite this delay, the transatlantic journey was swift, ensuring a timely arrival back in Frankfurt on October 11.
This is not the first time Lufthansa's 747-8 on this route has had a notable landing. In April 2024, another 747-8 encountered an extremely hard landing at LAX, also captured on livestream.
