Authorities have confirmed that an American Airlines stowaway was found dead inside the landing gear of a plane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Sunday, September 28. The tragic discovery has raised new concerns about aviation security and the risks faced by desperate individuals attempting to travel this way.

Discovery at Charlotte Airport

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) reported that the body was discovered around 9 a.m. during routine maintenance on a plane that had just arrived from Europe.

“On Sunday, September 28 shortly after 9 a.m., while performing maintenance on an American Airlines plane that had recently arrived from Europe, a stowaway was located in the landing gear,” CMPD said in its official release. “The subject was pronounced deceased on scene by CMPD’s Airport Division officers.”

Detectives from the homicide unit and crime scene investigators immediately launched an inquiry. The cause of death has not yet been released, but aviation experts point to the extreme dangers of attempting to hide in an aircraft wheel well.

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 Response to American Airlines Stowaway

In a statement to PEOPLE, Charlotte Douglas International Airport said:
“CLT Airport is aware of the tragic discovery involving a deceased individual found in the landing gear of an American Airlines aircraft on Sunday morning. We are deeply saddened by this news and will support the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s investigation as needed. Airport operations continue as normal.”

American Airlines added that it is cooperating fully with law enforcement: “We are working with law enforcement on its investigation.”

The Dangers of Stowaway Attempts

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), more than 77% of wheel-well stowaways die due to freezing temperatures, lack of oxygen, or injuries sustained during takeoff and landing. Aviation analyst John Nance told ABC News:
“A human body exposed for many hours to temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit courts extensive frostbite and loss of limbs, even if the utter lack of oxygen at 35,000 feet or more doesn't result in brain death.”

Between 1947 and 2015, there were 113 documented incidents of U.S. wheel-well stowaways, with a survival rate of less than 25%. Recent months have seen a troubling increase in such cases worldwide.

For More Information

• What airline passengers should know about recent stowaway incidents
• Authorities Are Investigating A Dead Body In The Landing Gear Of American Airlines Plane
• Stowaway found dead in landing gear of American Airlines flight in Charlotte : NPR

Ongoing Investigation

Authorities confirmed the investigation remains active. Police have asked anyone with information to contact CMPD’s Homicide Unit at 704-432-8477 or leave anonymous tips through Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

As NPR reported, the case underscores how rare—but deadly—such incidents are, and officials stress that each one is handled individually to prevent future tragedies.