The nose landing gear of a FedEx Express Airbus A300 cargo aircraft collapsed while parked at BWI Airport in the US. The incident has been taken under investigation by the FAA.
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in the state of Maryland, USA, the collapse of the nose landing gear of a FedEx Express Airbus A300 cargo aircraft caused a noteworthy incident in airport operations.
FAA Investigation Launched
Following the incident, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors were rapidly dispatched to the area and initiated a technical assessment. According to initial findings, the incident occurred while the aircraft was parked near the maintenance hangar, not while taxiing or during the takeoff phase.
Experts note that the fact the malfunction occurred on the ground prevented a potentially much more serious accident.
Emergency Response and Safety Measures
According to local news sources and eyewitness reports, airport emergency service teams were directed to the area in accordance with standard procedures after the incident. However:
- No fire risk,
- No fuel leakage,
- No hazardous material release was detected.
Maintenance Process and Regulatory Background
The incident coincided with FedEx’s comprehensive inspection process for its wide-body cargo fleet carried out under the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD 2025-23-51) issued by the FAA.
The directive requires detailed inspections of structural elements and landing gear components in certain aircraft types. Therefore, the incident at BWI added an additional technical dimension to the ongoing reviews concerning the FedEx fleet.
Similar Cases in Recent Years Draw Attention
The aviation sector has been closely monitoring landing gear-related incidents involving the FedEx fleet in recent years:
- In 2024, a FedEx Boeing 767 settled on its nose during an emergency landing in Istanbul.
- In 2023, a Boeing 757 experienced a similar situation in Chattanooga due to a malfunction in the landing gear extension system.
- At the end of 2025, the MD-11 fleet was temporarily grounded due to safety concerns.
In its latest guidelines, the FAA emphasizes that such malfunctions are “of a nature that could endanger the aircraft’s ability to fly and land safely.”
Investigation Ongoing
While FedEx officials have not yet made an official statement regarding the technical causes, a more comprehensive report is expected to be shared following the FAA’s preliminary review.
