Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 Strikes Radar Mast While Taxiing at Antalya Airport
A Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300ER struck a ground radar antenna mast while taxiing to its parking position at Antalya Airport on June 11, 2026, punching a large hole through the fuselage. The flight, TK2430, had arrived from Istanbul carrying 267 passengers, all of whom were safely evacuated with one person sustaining minor injuries. The incident raises questions about ground traffic management and taxiway routing for wide-body aircraft.
Turkish Airlines flight TK2430, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER registered TC-LKD, collided with a ground radar antenna pole while maneuvering to a parking position after landing at Antalya International Airport at approximately 8:00 PM local time on June 11, 2026. The aircraft's right wing struck the mast, which then pierced the fuselage, dislodged an overhead storage bin, and triggered the deployment of oxygen masks in several rows — damage visible in photographs showing a large jagged hole in the aircraft's skin and the toppled red-and-white radar tower lying on the tarmac. All 267 passengers were evacuated with the assistance of emergency personnel, and one passenger suffered minor injuries. Turkey's Ministry of Transport stated the aircraft had entered a taxiway from the wrong lane, while Aviation Safety Network data indicates the taxiway's centerline-to-pole clearance of approximately 95 feet was insufficient for the 777-300ER's 212.6-foot wingspan. Turkish Airlines has initiated a technical investigation, and possible causes include a crew navigation error or an incorrect taxi clearance issued by ground controllers. The 17-year-old airframe, recently returned from a lease to IndiGo, faces a repair timeline estimated at several weeks to several months, requiring replacement of fuselage skin sections, overhead bin components, and thorough inspection of the wing structure.
What's missing
It has not been confirmed whether air traffic control or ground control issued the incorrect taxi routing. The status of any regulatory investigation by Turkish aviation authorities beyond the airline's internal inquiry has not been reported.
How coverage differed
Simple Flying provided the most detailed technical and investigative framing, including wingspan geometry and possible causal scenarios. Breitbart's coverage was largely derivative of the other outlets and appended an unrelated note about Turkish Airlines' Boeing fleet expansion order, subtly broadening the narrative without clear relevance to the incident.
What different sources said
- New York PostRight
Plane with 267 passengers on board clips radar mast, leaving gaping hole in side
- Simple FlyingCenter
Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 Knocks Over Radar Tower While Taxiing, Mast Pierces Cabin
- BreitbartFar Right
VIDEO: Turkish Airlines Jet Hits Radar Mast, Ripping Hole in Plane Carrying 267 Passengers
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