Aviation expert explains dangers of hiding in landing gear after bodies found on JetBlue flight
MIAMI - Following the discovery of two bodies inside the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue plane that landed in South Florida, an aviation attorney and pilot said hiding in an airplane's undercarriage is one of the deadliest places a person can attempt to stow away.
"It's very, very loud," John Gagliano said. "It's very cold, and there's no air to breathe. So, it's a very dangerous stunt to pull."
Late Monday night, JetBlue Flight 1801 landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where gate technicians discovered the bodies of two men in the aircraft's landing gear compartment.
Neither man worked for JetBlue, according to an airline spokesperson. Investigators have yet to identify the men or determine how they bypassed security.
Flight data showed the aircraft had a busy schedule, flying Sunday from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, to New York's JFK Airport. It then flew routes between Jamaica, New York, and Salt Lake City before ending in South Florida.
Other stowaway cases
The grim discovery shocked passengers. However, stowaways in landing gear compartments are not unheard of. In 2021, authorities in Miami found a man who survived a flight from Guatemala by hiding in a wheel well.
"If someone is really determined to overcome security and they have the knowledge or someone helping them, it's certainly possible," Gagliano said.
He emphasized that the landing gear area is treacherous for stowaways. There is no insulation from the deafening engine and wind noise, little oxygen at high altitudes, and plummeting temperatures.
"At 30,000 feet, temperatures can drop 90 degrees colder than on the ground," Gagliano explained. "If it's 50 degrees on the ground, it's -42 degrees at cruising altitude. You're going to freeze to death at -42 degrees if you're there for any amount of time."
Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of death for the JetBlue stowaways. Investigators are working to understand how the men accessed the aircraft and hope to prevent future tragedies.
