Charlotte, NC (BN24) – Authorities in North Carolina are investigating after the body of a suspected stowaway was discovered in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines plane that had just arrived in Charlotte from Europe.
The grim discovery was made Sunday morning by maintenance workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport as the aircraft underwent routine servicing. Police said the body was located inside the wheel well but declined to release further details about the individual, including identity, nationality, or cause of death.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed it is leading the investigation, while both the airline and the airport expressed condolences and pledged to cooperate fully with authorities. “We are deeply saddened by this incident and are supporting the police investigation,” the airport said in a statement. American Airlines also confirmed its involvement in the inquiry but referred all additional questions to law enforcement.
Officials have not yet said where the flight originated in Europe. Aviation experts note that most stowaways attempting to survive inside a plane’s undercarriage die due to extreme cold, lack of oxygen, or injuries during takeoff and landing. Estimates suggest that about three-quarters of stowaway attempts end in death.
This latest case follows several similar tragedies in recent months. In January, two bodies were found in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport during a post-flight inspection after the jet arrived from New York’s JFK. In December, another stowaway body was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight after it landed in Maui from Chicago.
The Charlotte incident underscores the dangers and desperation often tied to attempted stowaway journeys, with investigators still working to determine how the person managed to access the aircraft.
