On Oct 18th 2023, a TUIfly Boeing 737-800 came to an abrupt halt on Frankfurt Airport’s main runway after a hidden landing gear tire problem turned a routine departure into a runway-blocking emergency that would later be traced to a critical loss of tire integrity.
The aircraft, registered D-ABKM and operating flight X3-4262 from Frankfurt/Main to Rhodes, was accelerating for takeoff on runway 18 in the early morning hours when the crew sensed something was wrong. At about 05:21 local time, with the aircraft passing roughly 80 knots, the pilots felt the jet tilt to the right and noticed visible damage. They immediately rejected the takeoff at 88 knots indicated airspeed, bringing the aircraft to a safe stop on the runway.
Although the rejection itself was uneventful, the aircraft could not vacate the runway. Tire debris and pieces of plastic were scattered across the surface, forcing airport authorities to close runway 18 for several hours while emergency services secured the scene and crews carried out extensive cleaning. The runway did not reopen until around 11:00 local time, and arriving passengers later photographed the aircraft still surrounded by emergency vehicles more than three hours after the incident.
Germany’s air navigation service provider DFS confirmed that the aborted takeoff and subsequent debris on the runway were the reason for the prolonged closure. The incident prompted an investigation by Germany’s Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), which released its final report on Jan 27th 2026.
The BFU concluded that the event was caused by a serious landing gear tire problem that had likely begun even before the aircraft lined up for departure. Tire number 3 on the right main landing gear was found to have insufficient pressure, meaning it could not carry its intended share of the aircraft’s weight. As a result, tire number 4 was forced to bear the full load, leading to damage that may have been worsened by structural weaknesses such as internal fatigue, tissue fractures, or delamination within the tire carcass.
Investigators found tire marks on the taxiway leading to the runway, strongly suggesting that the initial damage occurred before the takeoff roll began. Damage to the second tire likely occurred during the rejected takeoff, possibly aggravated by overload or debris on the runway. While the BFU could not definitively rule out foreign object damage, it noted that such events have historically caused catastrophic tire failures, making it a possible contributing factor.
Despite the airline not explicitly requiring an aborted takeoff above 80 knots for tire damage in its procedures, the crew’s decision to reject the takeoff at 88 knots was deemed correct and in line with manufacturer guidance. The BFU praised the crew for following established procedures, noting that their timely decision likely prevented a far more serious accident.
What began as an invisible loss of tire pressure ultimately became a clear example of how quickly small mechanical issues can escalate during the most critical phase of flight — and how decisive action by a flight crew can make the difference between a disruption and a disaster.
