Wheel-well stowaways are individuals who attempt to travel in the landing gear compartment, also known as the wheel bay or undercarriage of an aircraft. Between 1947 and June 2015, a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) researcher had documented 113 such attempts on 101 flights. These 113 people were all male and predominantly under age 30.[1] There were 86 deaths, a 76 percent fatality rate,[2] with many unidentified decedents. There may be additional undocumented cases of wheel-well stowaways.[3] A further 19 incidents, identified since 2015, are listed here.
Wheel-well stowaways face considerable risk of death during all phases of flight. Some have been unable to remain in the well during takeoff and landing and have fallen to their death. Immediately after takeoff, the landing gear retracts into the wheel wells, with the potential to crush the stowaway.[4] If the stowaway is able to avoid physical injury, they still face hypothermia and hypoxia risks at the extremely low temperatures and low atmospheric pressure at high altitude, as well as hearing damage from prolonged exposure to the dangerously high noise levels outside the cabin.
- ^ Kale, Sirin (April 15, 2021). "Out of thin air: the mystery of the man who fell from the sky". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Koebler, Jason (June 20, 2015). "The Science of Stowing Away in an Airplane". Motherboard. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
faawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lee, Jolie (April 21, 2014). "FAA: Most plane stowaways in wheel well die". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017.