Stowaway found in landing gear of American Airlines plane at CLT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a man that was found dead in the landing gear of a flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Maintenance crews cleaning the plane made the disturbing discovery Sunday morning.

CMPD officers arrived to Hangar Road around 9:30am on Sunday after reports of a dead man in the wheel well. CMPD says the flight originated from Europe, but an AA spokesperson did not respond to inquires about the exact city and airport where the plane traveled from.

Homicide Unit detectives and Crime Scene Search responded to process the scene and collect physical evidence.

FAA data shows there have been more than 130 stowaways in the last 78 years and the majority of people who sneak into planes die on the journey. Back in 2010, a 16 year old boy from Charlotte made it onto the tarmac at CLT and stowed away in the wheel well of a US Airways plane heading to Boston. He died and his body was found on a street.

CMPD has not released the identity of the man found dead in the landing gear of the plane.