CHARLOTTE, NC – A stowaway was found dead Sunday morning in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines flight that had recently arrived at Charlotte Douglas International Airport from Europe, police said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers responded to the airport at approximately 8:45 a.m. after ground crew members discovered the body during routine post-flight maintenance procedures.
The victim’s identity, age and gender have not been released pending notification of next of kin and completion of an autopsy by the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“This appears to be a tragic case of someone attempting to illegally board an aircraft,” said CMPD spokesperson Detective Maria Rodriguez. “We are working with federal authorities to determine how this occurred.”
American Airlines Flight 736 had departed from Madrid, Spain, on Saturday evening and landed in Charlotte at approximately 7:30 a.m. Sunday after an eight-hour flight. The aircraft is a Boeing 777-200 that typically carries up to 273 passengers.
American Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the airline is cooperating fully with law enforcement and conducting its own internal investigation.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” the airline said. “The safety and security of our passengers and crew members is our top priority.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration have launched separate investigations into the security breach. Airport officials said normal operations were not significantly disrupted.
Aviation experts say survival rates for stowaways in aircraft landing gear compartments are extremely low due to lack of oxygen, freezing temperatures and crushing forces during takeoff and landing.
“The wheel wells of commercial aircraft are not pressurized and temperatures can drop to minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit at cruising altitude,” said former FAA inspector James Patterson. “It’s essentially impossible to survive such conditions.”
Charlotte Douglas International Airport handles more than 50 million passengers annually and serves as a major hub for American Airlines. The airport’s security protocols are overseen by TSA in coordination with local law enforcement.
This marks the third known stowaway incident involving a major U.S. airline this year, according to aviation safety records.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not indicated whether any security measures will be modified as a result of the incident.
