CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Authorities are investigating after a stowaway was found dead inside the landing gear of an American Airlines plane that had just arrived from Europe at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the discovery was made around 9:03 a.m. Sunday when maintenance personnel were servicing the aircraft on the 5000 block of Hangar Road. Inside the landing gear compartment, airline staff found the body of an unidentified individual.
CMPD Airport Division officers responded and pronounced the person dead at the scene. Due to the circumstances, homicide detectives launched a death investigation, assisted by the Crime Scene Search Unit, CMPD Operations Command, and MEDIC.
The identity and country of origin of the deceased stowaway have not yet been released. Investigators say it remains unclear when or how the individual entered the plane or whether the death occurred before or during the transatlantic flight.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a major hub for American Airlines and one of the busiest airports in the U.S., has seen stowaway cases in the past, though they are rare. Federal and international authorities are assisting CMPD in the ongoing investigation.
American Airlines has not yet issued an official statement.
