A FedEx Boeing 767-300 freighter, operating under flight number FX-6238, encountered a critical landing gear malfunction while approaching Istanbul’s runway 16R. The aircraft, registered as N110FE, was forced to execute a go-around maneuver at approximately 1,800 feet due to an unsafe nose gear indication. Following a low approach, the plane landed safely without its nose gear about 40 minutes after the initial incident, at 08:17 local time (05:17 UTC). No injuries were reported.
This 9.5-year-old aircraft, delivered to FedEx in December 2014, was flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Istanbul. The incident is now under investigation by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure – Transportation Safety Investigation Center. Details of the investigation will be disclosed by Turkish authorities as per ICAO Annex 13 guidelines.
The incident adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Boeing’s safety practices amid allegations of production shortcuts and lapses in safety inspections on its 787 Dreamliner series. These issues have attracted the attention of the US Federal Aviation Administration, putting additional pressure on Boeing’s safety credibility. The NTSB has reported sending a U.S.-accredited representative and three other investigators to Istanbul.
