96.1 BBB
    7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
  • Facebook

  • Instagram

  • App

  • Home
  • Hosts and Shows
    • Madison
    • Kitty Kinnin
    • John
    • Deeper
    • 80’s at 8
  • Contests
    • Contest Rules
  • Events
    • Community Events
    • Submit Your Community Event
  • Features
    • Recipes
    • News, Sports and Weather
    • Pet Adoption
    • Daily Comic Strips
    • Crossword Puzzle
    • Horoscopes
    • Slideshows
    • Sudoku
    • Coupons
    • Advice
    • Interviews
  • Contact
    • Contact and Directions
    • 96.1 BBB App
    • Become a BBB Work Perks Member!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Advertise
Suspected stowaway is found dead in plane’s landing gear at a North Carolina airport

A traveler waits to board their flight at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport on July 23, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Suspected stowaway is found dead in plane’s landing gear at a North Carolina airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Airplane maintenance workers at a North Carolina airport found the body of a suspected stowaway in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines flight that had recently arrived from Europe, police said.

The body was found Sunday morning while the plane was undergoing maintenance at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement that it is investigating the death.

Neither the airline nor police have offered information about the person who died, including a possible cause of death, or said where the flight originated.

The airport said it was deeply saddened by the discovery and said it will support the police investigation. American Airlines said it was working with law enforcement on its investigation and directed questions to police.

Experts believe roughly three-quarters of stowaways do not survive if they hide on a plane’s undercarriage because of the extreme cold and lack of oxygen they experience as the plane reaches cruising altitude.

In January, two bodies were found in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The bodies were discovered in the wheel well area during a routine post-flight inspection. The aircraft had arrived in Fort Lauderdale shortly after flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The jet had been in both Kingston, Jamaica, and Salt Lake City, Utah, earlier that day.

In December, a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane after it landed in Maui from Chicago.

Recent News

Wet Nose Wednesday: Meet Paola and Peabody!

Kitty Discusses Foundation of Hope

96.1BBB Supports Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival!

One year later, western North Carolina still recovers from Hurricane Helene

Russian sage: Not from Russia, but perfect for NC gardens

Wet Nose Wednesday: Meet Pound Cake and Steward!

Sweet autumn clematis charms, but NC experts say avoid it

Wet Nose Wednesday: Meet Blondie and Finnick!

Red and black chokeberries thrive in North Carolina landscapes

Wet Nose Wednesday: Meet Buttons and Asada!

  • QDR

  • La Ley

  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Contest Rules
  • EEO
  • Public Inspection File
  • Employment Opportunities
  • FCC Applications
Powered By SoCast