A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Qatar Airways has sustained damage after one of its main landing gear legs fell into a collapsed drain cover at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha. The aircraft had just completed a flight from Colombo in Sri Lanka on October 25, 2024, and was arriving at its allocated parking stand when the incident occurred.
The flight in question, QR663, departed Colombo at 03:30 local time for the journey to Doha, lasting four hours and 30 minutes. The flight was being operated by one of Qatar Airways’ 30-strong fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, registered A7-BCV. It had touched down at 05:23 local time in Doha and was just pulling up to its stand.
According to eyewitnesses, as the aircraft approached its final parking position at low speed, the aircraft’s right main gear dropped into a drain cover that had collapsed, with the front two almost disappearing from view entirely when on the four-wheel main bogey. With the resulting drop in height of the right-hand side of the aircraft, the plane’s number two engine cowling also contacted the tarmac, with the aircraft coming to rest on its right-hand side.
According to a Qatar Airways statement issued following the incident, “On 25 October, at Hamad International Airport, while taxiing, the right landing gear of a Qatar Airways aircraft struck an on-ground structure causing the right engine to make contact with the ground. No injuries were reported and all passengers on board were safely disembarked and were put on a later flight.”
According to ch-aviation, the aircraft involved is 9.5 years old. It first flew in April 2015 and was subsequently delivered to Qatar Airways in May 2015. It carries 254 passengers and operates in a two-class configuration of 22 business class and 232 economy class seats. According to data obtained from Flightradar24, the aircraft has not flown since the incident and remains on the ground in Doha.
Engineers will be examining the damage caused to the right main landing gear leg itself, in addition to the engine cowling, fan blades, and possibly the thrust reverser mechanism. They will also need to inspect the engine mounting bolts on the right-hand side for any stress damage caused by the aircraft coming to rest lying on that side.
Airport authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the failure of the drain cover and surrounding tarmac area.