Boeing, $BA, 767 cargo plane has crashed upon landing in Turkey this morning after its landing gear failed when it came in to land

Boeing, $BA, 767 cargo plane has crashed upon landing in Turkey this morning after its landing gear failed when it came in to land.

The ministry stated that the landing gear of the nearly 10-year-old Boeing 767 freighter failed to open, and the aircraft landed with guidance from the tower, managing to stay on the runway. Airport rescue and fire fighting teams were deployed before landing, but no injuries were reported, and the ministry did not provide a reason for the failure. The transport ministry of Turkey confirmed that its teams were conducting examinations at the scene as part of the ongoing investigation but did not offer further details.

Boeing redirected queries to FedEx, which stated that it was collaborating with investigation authorities and would share additional information as it becomes available. Video footage obtained by Reuters showed sparks and some smoke as the front of the plane scraped along the runway before coming to a stop and being covered in firefighting foam, with no visible fire. The video also showed the pilots holding the plane's nose above the runway for several seconds after the main wheels touched down, indicating that they were executing the emergency drill for landing with a retracted nose gear, a procedure pilots are trained for according to the SKYbrary aviation database.

Last June, a 22-year-old Boeing 717 flown by Delta Airlines made a similar smooth landing without a nose gear in Charlotte, North Carolina, an incident later attributed to a fractured component. The runway was temporarily closed for air traffic, but other runways at Istanbul airport remained operational, according to the airport operator IGA. Once jets enter service, manufacturers are typically not involved in their operation or maintenance, but Boeing has faced intense media and regulatory scrutiny following incidents involving its smaller 737 aircraft.