Stowaway Found Dead in Landing Gear of American Airlines Plane

A stowaway was discovered dead in the landing gear of an American Airlines aircraft upon its arrival at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) from Europe on September 28, 2023. The body was found by maintenance technicians shortly after the plane landed and was undergoing routine checks. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has initiated a homicide investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery.

The deceased individual was located in the landing gear compartment of the aircraft. CMPD officers from the Airport Division pronounced the stowaway dead at the scene. At this time, details regarding the stowaway’s identity and the specific European airport of origin remain undisclosed. American Airlines operates flights to six destinations in Europe from CLT, including Dublin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Madrid, Munich, and Rome.

Investigation and Context

The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, with police working to determine whether the stowaway boarded the flight in Europe or had managed to remain hidden in the wheel well from a previous journey. While the likelihood of survival for stowaways is extremely low, particularly on long-haul flights, attempts to enter the United States by air do occur. Most stowaways do not survive due to the severe conditions they face, including frigid temperatures and lack of oxygen at altitude.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the chances of surviving such an attempt are less than one in four, with survival rates diminishing significantly based on the duration of the flight. For instance, a recent case involved a 13-year-old Afghan boy who stowed away on a two-hour flight to Delhi and survived, though he was promptly returned home by authorities.

Recent Stowaway Incidents

The issue of stowaways has garnered attention recently, with several incidents reported in the United States. In January, two bodies were found in the landing gear of a JetBlue aircraft during maintenance in Fort Lauderdale. Another case occurred just a month prior, when a body was located in the landing gear of a United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner, believed to have entered the aircraft in São Paulo before it reached its domestic destination in Maui.

In November 2021, another stowaway survived a flight from Guatemala to Miami, which typically lasts around two hours and 30 minutes. The individual was detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers immediately upon discovery. Instances of passengers sneaking into the cabin without a boarding pass also continue to surface; in November, a 57-year-old Russian woman managed to board a Delta Air Lines flight from New York JFK to Paris without proper documentation, hiding in the lavatory during the flight.

As investigations continue, authorities are focusing on understanding the motivations and circumstances surrounding such dangerous attempts at stowing away on aircraft. The tragic death of this individual serves as a stark reminder of the perils associated with illegal entry into the United States.