FX6238 - Landing Gear Failure Causes Nose-Up Landing

FedEx flight 6238, a Boeing 767-300F freighter (registration N110FE, manufactured in 2014), departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on 8 May 2024 bound for Istanbul Airport (IST) in Turkey. During the approach to Istanbul, the flight crew reported to air traffic control that the front nose landing gear failed to extend due to a hydraulic failure. To assess the situation, the pilots performed a low-pass flyby over the runway at Istanbul Airport to allow ground personnel and air traffic controllers to visually inspect the landing gear condition. After confirming the nose gear remained retracted, the crew prepared for an emergency landing with only the main landing gear deployed. The aircraft touched down at approximately 8:17 a.m. local time following two apparent missed approaches. Video footage showed sparks flying and smoke rising as the nose of the Boeing 767 scraped along the runway. The flight crew skillfully held the aircraft's nose elevated above the runway for several seconds after the main wheels touched down—a technique pilots train for when landing with retracted nose gear. The aircraft drifted approximately 370 meters after touchdown before coming to a complete stop. Emergency crews were positioned on standby and immediately doused the aircraft with firefighting foam. All crew members exited safely with no injuries reported. The Turkish Transport Ministry and the NTSB dispatched investigators to examine the cause of the hydraulic failure that prevented the nose landing gear from deploying.