On Jan 28th 2026, a Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300 was forced to stop immediately after landing at Kumamoto when an oil leak was discovered, prompting a runway closure and leaving the aircraft stranded on the ground for more than a day.
The aircraft, registered JA610J, was operating flight JL633 from Tokyo Haneda to Kumamoto. After touching down on runway 07, the crew vacated the runway as normal but then brought the aircraft to a halt on the first turnoff once they were clear of the active runway. The stop was made after indications of an oil leak became apparent, raising concerns about the aircraft’s airworthiness and the safety of continued taxi.
Japan Airlines later confirmed that the aircraft had stopped to allow maintenance checks to be carried out. Airport authorities subsequently verified that an oil leak had indeed occurred, and that the aircraft could not continue taxiing under its own power. As a result, the jet had to be towed to the apron for further inspection and repairs.
The leak also had wider operational consequences. Oil contamination on the runway required cleanup, forcing airport officials to close the runway for approximately one hour while sweeping and safety checks were conducted. During that time, flight operations at Kumamoto were disrupted until the surface was declared safe for use again.
More than 33 hours after landing, the Boeing 767 remained on the ground in Kumamoto as engineers continued their work, underlining how even a routine domestic flight can rapidly escalate into a significant operational event when a mechanical issue appears at exactly the wrong moment.
