Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that collapsed onto its nose at Frankfurt Airport on June 4 can be repaired and is expected to return to scheduled service before the end of the year. The jet had entered service earlier in the year and was empty of passengers when its nose landing gear failed. Two people were seriously injured and 21 suffered minor injuries. Investigators found a locking pin had not been inserted; the BFU later recovered the pin from a storage box. Lufthansa has temporarily replaced the aircraft with an Airbus A340 from reserve for its summer schedule.
Lufthansa Says Buckled Boeing 787 Dreamliner Will Return To Service Before Year-End
FILE PHOTO - A Lufthansa Dreamliner aircraft rests on its nose in front of a terminal at Frankfurt Airport after the nose landing gear collapsed. (is associated with: «Lufthansa head: Buckled Dreamliner to fly again before end of year») Mike Seeboth/dpa
Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr said on Tuesday that a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that collapsed onto its nose at Frankfurt Airport can be repaired and is expected to return to scheduled service before the end of the year.
The aircraft, which had entered Lufthansa service at the start of the year, was standing on the ground on June 4 when its nose landing gear unexpectedly collapsed, causing the forward fuselage to strike the tarmac. There were no passengers on board at the time.
Two people were seriously injured and 21 others sustained minor injuries in the incident, airline and investigation reports said.
Investigation Findings
Investigators determined that a locking pin in the landing gear mechanism had not been inserted. The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) reported that the pin was later recovered from a storage box after the accident.
Operational Impact And Next Steps
Spohr said the damaged Dreamliner can be repaired and is expected to rejoin Lufthansa's scheduled operations before year-end. To cover services this summer, Lufthansa has substituted the aircraft with an older Airbus A340 brought out of reserve.
Note: The BFU led the technical investigation and published the recovery of the missing pin. Further examination of maintenance procedures and ground handling protocols may follow as authorities and the airline review the incident.
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