Anthony Yates
American Airlines maintenance workers encountered a nasty surprise when they inspected an aircraft’s landing gear over the weekend. Airport staff uncovered a deceased stowaway and notified the authorities.
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What happened: According to a news release by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the incident occurred on Sunday, September 28, at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
- Airport workers reportedly made the discovery shortly after 9 AM while performing maintenance on an American Airlines plane that had arrived from Europe. Staff found a stowaway in the landing gear, and CMPD Airport Division officers declared them deceased at the scene.
- “Homicide Unit detectives responded to the scene to conduct an investigation, and Crime Scene Search responded to process the scene and collect physical evidence,” the news release reads.
- Per USA Today, police confirmed an investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released the stowaway’s identity. The airport reportedly ran operations as usual for the rest of the day.
The Airport Released A Statement About The Incident
A tragic discovery: A spokesperson for Charlotte Douglas International Airport told USA Today, “CLT Airport is aware of the tragic discovery involving a deceased individual found in the landing gear of an American Airlines aircraft this morning. We are deeply saddened by this news and will support the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s investigation as needed.”
Another stowaway fatality: The incident at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is at least the second of its type this year.
- Per WideOpenCountry, authorities found a pair of deceased stowaways in the landing gear of a JetBlue aircraft in January. The plane departed from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City, and workers made the discovery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- Workers reportedly found the bodies during a “routine post-flight maintenance inspection.” Authorities did not reveal their identities at the time or how they passed away.
- Following the incident, Gary Sheradsky, a flight instructor with over 30 years of experience, told the Miami Herald the stowaways likely froze to death. He pointed out that the wheel wells are not pressurized or heated like the cabin. “Without being in a pressurized cabin, you’re not going to get enough oxygen to survive,” Sheradsky said.
- The outlet theorized that the landing gear temperature at 30,000 feet could have dropped as low as minus 88 degrees.
