The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Tragedy averted as Lufthansa jumbo jet's tail almost touches the runway at Los Angeles International Airpo
A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 narrowly avoided a tail strike while landing at Los Angeles International Airport. The aircraft touched the tarmac before the pilot called off the landing attempt. The flight LH 456 from Frankfurt eventually landed 30 minutes late at LAX after the incident. Lufthansa has operated the Boeing 747 for over fifty years and the plane has a large passenger capacity.
A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 narrowly avoided contact with the runway during a landing attempt at Los Angeles International Airport, with footage showing the tail striking near the ground before the aircraft climbed away.
The incident involved Lufthansa flight LH 456, which originated from Frankfurt, Germany, and arrived in California in the early afternoon local time. The event occurred on Saturday, October 10, and the aircraft later completed its landing about 30 minutes after the aborted approach.
Video circulating on social media captured the moment as the plane descended toward Runway 24R, briefly appearing to touch the tarmac before the crew aborted the landing and initiated a climb, with the landing gear still extended.
Lufthansa operates the 747-8, a long-range wide-body jet commonly referred to as the Jumbo Jet, which is noted for being among the longest passenger aircraft currently in service.
The Lufthansa Group confirmed international operations affected by broader regional developments, stating a temporary suspension of flights to Riyadh through October 16 due to ongoing events in the Middle East; this reference provides context but is not linked to the Los Angeles incident itself.
Details about the number of passengers onboard or any injuries were not provided in the available material, and the report does not specify specific aircraft configurations beyond identifying the model as a 747-8.