Tragic Discovery: Stowaway Found Dead in American Airlines Landing Gear

CHARLOTTE— A body was found within the landing gear of an American Airlines (AA) airplane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) early Sunday morning. The aircraft had just completed a flight from Europe, as reported by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).

Authorities received a call to a maintenance hangar shortly after 9 AM on September 28. Engineers performing routine inspections discovered the body, which triggered an immediate inquiry by the CMPD’s Homicide Unit.

American Airlines Dead Stowaway

The aircraft was undergoing scheduled maintenance when the body was found in the landing gear compartment. CMPD confirmed that homicide investigators and forensic teams were sent to the scene, aided by airport medical and operational units.

While the flight had completed a transatlantic journey, investigators have not yet verified if the deceased individual boarded in Europe or earlier in the route. Past cases in the U.S. show that stowaways have sometimes been uncovered after various domestic or international flights, complicating origin confirmation, as reported by several sources.

American Airlines’ Transatlantic Routes

American Airlines operates Boeing 777 aircraft from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to various destinations in Europe:

• Frankfurt (FRA)
• Munich (MUC)
• Dublin (DUB)
• Rome (FCO)
• Madrid (MAD)
• London Heathrow (LHR)

The airline provides daily flights to these locations, with London receiving services up to three times a day. The extended flight durations and accessibility of widebody aircraft at some airports increase the likelihood of stowaway attempts.

Official Statements on the Investigation

CMPD has stated that the investigation remains active. They assured that more information would be shared as it becomes available through their Public Affairs Office. Meanwhile, American Airlines has refrained from commenting in detail, confirming their full cooperation with law enforcement.

Similar Incidents

This event is part of a troubling pattern. In December of the previous year, a stowaway’s body was found in the landing gear of a United Airlines (UA) Boeing 787-10 following a journey to Maui (OGG) from Chicago O’Hare (ORD). Investigators later determined that the aircraft had recently traveled from São Paulo (GRU), a known area for such attempts.

In another instance, JetBlue (B6) reported a body found in the landing gear of an Airbus A320 that landed in Fort Lauderdale (FLL) after a flight from New York (JFK). This aircraft had also operated to Jamaica, another location where stowaway cases occur frequently.

The Extreme Risks of Landing Gear Stowaways

Traveling within an aircraft’s landing gear compartment poses almost certain death. At cruising altitudes of around 35,000 feet, temperatures can plummet to between -58°F and -76°F.

Moreover, the lack of oxygen at those heights can lead to hypoxia, causing unconsciousness and death within minutes. Although survival is exceedingly rare, there have been isolated cases. Recently, a 13-year-old Afghan boy survived a Kam Air Airbus A340 flight from Kabul (KBL) to New Delhi (DEL) after hiding in the landing gear. He was found alive on the runway and subsequently sent back to Afghanistan as a regular passenger.