Luxembourg Airport Resumes Operations Following Cargolux Incident

Luxembourg Airport is back up to full capacity after a Cargolux freighter’s landing gear bogie detached during an emergency landing causing a runway closure.

On April 14 at around 19:00hrs the B747-400F reported a technical defect after take-off in Luxembourg and had to return to the airport where the landing gear detached on landing.

Following the landing, the airport’s emergency plan was activated and flight operations were temporarily suspended.

“During the subsequent emergency landing, the aircraft lost part of one landing gear but came to a safe stop,” the airport said in a statement. “And most importantly, no one was injured.”

A subsequent inspection of the runway revealed damage that had to be repaired before resuming flight operations.

After completion of the works, an inspection of the runway was carried out to ensure that it could be put back into operation without any problems.

“The comparatively short closure period is due to the good cooperation and commitment of the teams from the Administration de la navigation aérienne, [the fire department], lux-Airport, ground handlers, airlines and the companies carrying out the works,” the airport said.

“Nevertheless, the runway closure due to the emergency landing had a significant impact on evening air traffic.”

In total, 13 arriving flights had to be diverted to Liège, Brussels, Paris and Strasbourg and 31 flights had to be cancelled altogether.

Also, eight departures and arrivals were significantly delayed, in addition, some exemptions were granted for night flights.

The airport said that there were isolated delays on April 15, but air traffic increasingly returned to normal over the course of the day.

According to FlightGlobal, the aircraft (LX-OCV, MSN29731) was operating flight CV6857 from Luxembourg to Chicago.

Cargolux, in a statement confirming the incident, said the aircraft was “unable to retract its landing gear” after take-off.

Social media footage of the aircraft landing shows the right body landing gear bogie detaching just as the aircraft lands on the runway.

The gear is then seen bouncing off the right side of the runway and onto the grass patch.