Flight was landing when its wing clipped a structure. The next thing the passengers knew, it tore a hole in the side of the plane

A Boeing 777-3Q8 Turkish Airlines aircraft suffered a major structural breach at Antalya Airport in Turkey after colliding with a ground radar antenna while taxiing to its gate. The incident occurred on a Thursday, following a flight from Istanbul that had landed safely before the unexpected ground collision took place.

The Daily Mail reported that the aircraft, which was carrying 267 passengers, experienced a severe impact as the plane’s right wing clipped the radar mast, which then fell heavily against the fuselage, tearing a massive gash into the side of the aircraft. The force of the collision triggered oxygen masks to deploy and an overhead storage bin to dislodge, spilling luggage into the aisles.

According to the NY Post, the 17-year-old aircraft was eventually towed to a parking area once initial inspections were completed. Travellers on board described the sound of the impact as frightening. One passenger, who recorded the aftermath of the event, stated, “After landing, something broke off in the plane. [One] woman is hysterical. Even the skin of the plane was torn off. This metal thing, we ran over it.”

The plane reportedly turned into a restricted taxi route

Turkish Airlines has confirmed that a technical investigation into the event is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances of the collision. Yahya Üstün, the airline’s senior vice president of communications and communications director, addressed the situation on X following the incident. 

Üstün wrote, “All 267 passengers on board were safely evacuated, and we have received information that one passenger sustained minor injuries and is in good health.” He further added, “A technical investigation regarding the incident has been initiated.”

Beyond the immediate structural damage to the fuselage and the right wing, the incident caused significant delays for those on board. Per the NY Post, Russian tourists who were travelling on the flight reported that they faced a two-hour wait to collect their luggage after the evacuation was complete. The flight had originally departed from Istanbul just after 6:00 PM local time for a 320-mile trip, arriving at its destination only an hour later, before the taxiing accident occurred.

According to Simply Flying, an Aviation Network Report, the plane appears to have navigated onto a restricted taxi route, likely from a breakdown in ground protocols or a communication error. The Boeing 777 is a widebody plane with a massive wingspan of 212.6 feet. Unfortunately, the taxi route was too narrow for its wingspan.

Simply Flying also noted that it can be very difficult for pilots to accurately estimate if their outer wingtip will clear a distant object just by sight. Last year, two American Airlines flights clipped each other, while one was carrying members of Congress on board. Recently, the crew on the approach to New Jersey flew a bit too low and clipped a bakery delivery truck and highway lights on a turnpike right before landing.

The exact details of how the Turkish Airlines flight ended up on this pathway will only be released after the investigation.