Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 “Herne” suffers nose gear collapse at Frankfurt Airport, crew members injured, Los Angeles flight cancelled

A Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner suffered a nose landing gear collapse while parked at a gate at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on Thursday, June 4th, forcing the cancellation of a scheduled flight to Los Angeles and causing significant damage to one of the airline’s newest long-haul aircraft.

The aircraft involved, registered D-ABPQ and named “Herne”, was preparing to operate flight LH450 from Frankfurt to Los Angeles when the incident occurred. According to initial reports, the nose landing gear collapsed suddenly while the aircraft was stationary at the gate.

Passengers had not yet boarded, but several ground staff and crew members were already on board, and some were injured. The cause of the failure remains unknown.

Photographs taken at the scene show the Dreamliner resting on its nose section, with the rear fuselage elevated as a result of the collapse. Visible damage can be seen around the forward fuselage and nose gear bay, while the landing gear doors appear to have been forced outward. Images also suggest that parts of the engine nacelles may have come into contact with the ground.

As a result of the incident, Lufthansa was forced to cancel flight LH450 to Los Angeles.

The affected aircraft is among the newest additions to Lufthansa’s fleet. D-ABPQ was delivered to the German carrier in January 2026 and is equipped with Lufthansa’s latest Allegris cabin product. The aircraft is based in Frankfurt and, unlike some long-haul aircraft operating from other Lufthansa hubs, does not feature a First Class cabin.

The extent of the damage has not yet been officially assessed, but aviation experts expect the aircraft to undergo a lengthy inspection and repair process before returning to service. Any structural damage to the nose gear attachment points or forward fuselage could require extensive maintenance work.

Neither Lufthansa nor Boeing had issued a detailed statement on the incident at the time of publication. The cause of the nose gear collapse is expected to be investigated by the relevant German aviation authorities.

The incident is highly unusual for a modern aircraft type and particularly noteworthy given the aircraft’s young age. The Boeing 787-9 involved has been in Lufthansa service for less than six months.

Aviation24.be will update this story as more information becomes available.