Incident at Palma Airport: Aircraft Blocks Runway Following Landing Gear Failure
Friday, May 8th, 2026
Flight operations at Son Sant Joan Airport were significantly disrupted on Friday evening after an aircraft arriving from Madrid lost a wheel upon landing, blocking one of the main runways.
The incident occurred at approximately 20:30 during touchdown on runway 06L. According to air traffic control and local media reports, the aircraft suffered an axle fracture, causing it to come to a halt at a tilt and leaving it unable to taxi. Among the passengers on board was a large delegation representing the Majorcan tourism sector.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
Authorities raised the alarm immediately after the aircraft came to a standstill. A large contingent of airport fire crews and medical services secured the scene. Despite initial moments of tension, all passengers were able to disembark safely; no injuries have been reported at this time. As the technical failure has left the aircraft immobilised, specialist teams are currently preparing to move the plane using heavy recovery equipment.
Impact on Flight Operations
The closure of the north runway is causing noticeable disruptions to ongoing operations:
- Runway Closure: Runway 06L remains closed to all traffic until the recovery operation is complete.
- Single-Runway Operations: All flight traffic is currently being handled via the south runway (06R).
- Diversions & Delays: According to air traffic control (Controladores Aéreos), several arriving aircraft have already been forced to perform go-arounds or divert to alternative airports.
- Increased Spacing: To maintain stable operations on a single runway, the intervals between flight movements have been increased, leading to further delays.
Airport operators and air traffic control are working intensively to remove the aircraft and reopen the runway following a safety inspection. Travellers are advised to check the current status of their connection before heading to the airport.
