Regulations & Safety
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 Landing Gear Collapse at Antalya Airport
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 main landing gear collapsed during taxi at Antalya Airport. All passengers and crew evacuated safely; aircraft under inspection.
This article is based on an official statement from SunExpress and verified fleet data.
A SunExpress Boeing 737-800 experienced a significant structural failure on Friday, February 13, 2026, when its main landing gear collapsed while taxiing for departure at Antalya Airport (AYT). The aircraft, operating flight XQ7646 to Gaziantep (GZT), suffered a collapse of the landing gear strut, causing the left engine and wingtip to contact the tarmac.
According to an official statement from the airline, all 175 passengers and six crew members were safely evacuated without injury. The incident occurred at low speed prior to takeoff, preventing a more severe outcome on the runway.
The incident took place as the aircraft was maneuvering on the taxiway. Passengers reported a sudden tilt to the left side followed by the aircraft coming to a halt. Emergency services responded immediately, though the evacuation was conducted calmly, likely using stairs rather than emergency slides given the stable position of the aircraft on the ground.
In a statement regarding the event, SunExpress confirmed the technical nature of the failure:
“On our flight XQ7646, which will operate our Antalya-Gaziantep flight, a technical malfunction occurred in the landing gear strut during taxiing. All our passengers have been safely evacuated and the aircraft has been taken for technical inspection. Our flight will be carried out with a different plane in order not to victimize our passengers.”
Airport operations at Antalya continued with minimal disruption, as the immobilized aircraft was located on a taxiway rather than the active runway. SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, arranged for a replacement aircraft to transport the passengers to Gaziantep shortly after the evacuation.
The aircraft involved in the incident has been identified as TC-SOB, a Boeing 737-8HC (Next Generation). According to fleet data, the airframe is approximately 9 to 10 years old, having been delivered in 2016. The “HC” designation is the Boeing customer code specific to SunExpress.
The collapse resulted in the left engine nacelle scraping the ground. The aircraft has been grounded for a comprehensive technical investigation to determine the root cause of the strut failure. While the specific cause of this collapse remains under investigation, the Boeing 737 NG series has been subject to scrutiny regarding landing gear durability in the past. Industry data indicates that trunnion pins, critical structural components attaching the gear to the wing, have been a focal point for maintenance directives.
Recent regulatory actions have addressed similar risks. For example, FAA Airworthiness Directive 2025-19-12, effective November 2025, mandates inspections to prevent heat damage to main landing gear outer cylinders, noting that such damage could lead to “failure of a principal structural element… or collapse of the main landing gear.” Previous directives have also targeted corrosion and fatigue cracking in trunnion pins, which can result from excessive grinding during overhaul processes.
Timing Averted Disaster: While any structural failure is concerning, the timing of this incident was fortunate. A landing gear collapse during the high-speed takeoff roll or upon landing impact could have resulted in a catastrophic runway excursion, fuel leaks, or fire. The fact that the strut failed during low-speed taxiing suggests the component was already critically compromised and unable to bear the aircraft’s weight even under minimal stress.
Maintenance Scrutiny: We anticipate that investigators will focus heavily on the maintenance records of TC-SOB. Specifically, they will likely examine whether recent overhaul procedures involved grinding techniques that could have introduced heat damage to the metal, a known precursor to the type of brittle fracture seen in previous 737 NG gear collapses.
SunExpress maintains a strong safety record, with no fatal accidents in its history. This event is currently classified as a technical malfunction rather than a systemic operational failure, pending the final report from civil aviation authorities.
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 Landing Gear Collapses During Taxi at Antalya
Incident Overview and Airline Response
Aircraft and Technical Specifications
Industry Context on Landing Gear Failures
AirPro News Analysis
Summary of Key Facts
Sources
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