Turkish Airlines (TK) flight TK2430, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER registered TC-LKD, landed normally at Antalya International Airport (AYT), Antalya, Turkey at around 8:00 PM local time on Thursday, June 11, 2026. While manoeuvring toward its parking stand after landing, the aircraft’s right wing struck a ground radar antenna pole on apron-1, Harbeler flagged. The force of the impact toppled the mast, which then pierced the aircraft’s fuselage, creating an opening in the cabin wall. Oxygen masks deployed, an overhead bin was dislodged, and at least one passenger sustained minor injuries.
All 267 passengers on board were safely evacuated. Turkish Airlines confirmed significant damage to the aircraft’s right wing and rear fuselage. Turkey’s Ministry of Transport stated that the aircraft had entered the taxiway from the wrong lane, navigating a route that was not cleared for a widebody aircraft of TC-LKD’s size. A technical investigation has been launched.
What Happened to TK2430 on Apron-1 At Antalya Airport
TK2430 departed Istanbul Airport (IST) and completed a smooth, uneventful landing at AYT. The trouble began during the post-landing taxi phase. While the aircraft was routing toward its parking position, the right wing struck a ground radar antenna pole on apron-1.
The impact caused the mast to fall onto the aircraft, and the pole was forceful enough to penetrate the fuselage skin. Inside the cabin, oxygen masks deployed automatically and at least one overhead bin broke free from its housing.
Airport emergency teams responded immediately and all 267 passengers were evacuated. One passenger sustained minor injuries, reported to be in good health after receiving medical support.
Turkey’s Ministry of Transport Issues Official Statement
Turkey’s Ministry of Transport released a formal statement on the incident. As reported by Simple Flying, the ministry stated:
“[Aircraft TC-LKD] entered the taxiway from the wrong lane after landing on our airport’s runway and collided with a ground radar mast on apron-1… After the passengers were evacuated and necessary checks were carried out, the aircraft was towed to the apron parking area.”
Turkish Airlines also issued its own statement. As confirmed by Gate Checked, the airline said:
“Our Boeing 777 aircraft, registered as TC-LKD, which operated flight TK2430 from Istanbul to Antalya, made contact with the ground radar antenna pole with its right wing while maneuvering to the parking position at Antalya Airport. All 267 passengers on our aircraft have been safely evacuated, and we have received information that the health condition of one passenger who sustained minor injuries is good. A technical investigation regarding the incident has been initiated.”
Turkish Airlines confirmed that AeroHaber has reported the Turkish Airlines Press Office stated that a comprehensive technical investigation into the incident and damage assessment has been formally launched.
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Why The Boeing 777’s Wingspan Made This Taxiway Dangerous
The physical geometry of the incident sheds light on how the collision occurred. According to a report filed with the Aviation Safety Network, the distance between the painted centreline of the taxiway and the base of the radar pole was only approximately 95.1 feet (29 metres).
The wingspan of a Boeing 777-300ER is 212.6 feet (64.8 metres). This means the aircraft’s wingtip extends exactly 106.3 feet (32.4 metres) from the taxi centreline on each side. A taxiway offering only 95.1 feet of clearance to the nearest obstacle provided nearly 11 feet less space than the wing requires. The taxiways at Antalya are visibly marked with maximum allowable wingspan restrictions for each route, and the restricted path in question was not approved for a Boeing 777.
Simple Flying noted that two probable explanations exist. First, the crew may have missed a turn or mistaken an incorrect taxiway entrance for the approved one. Second, the ground controller managing taxi traffic may have inadvertently issued a routing instruction intended for a smaller aircraft. It is also very difficult for flight deck crews to judge whether the outer wingtip of a widebody jet will clear a distant object by looking out the cockpit windows alone.
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About TC-LKD: The Aircraft and Its History
The aircraft involved, TC-LKD, is a Boeing 777-3Q8ER with serial number 35783, delivered when it was 17 years old at the time of the incident. The aircraft has a Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 35783 and was built at Boeing’s Everett production site and is approximately 17.1 years old. It was originally test registered as N5573S and has since accumulated a complex operational history across multiple airlines and leasing companies.
TC-LKD and a sister aircraft, TC-LKE, were leased to India’s IndiGo airline for nearly three years, operating long-haul services between Delhi and Istanbul and between Mumbai and Istanbul. Both aircraft were returned to Turkish Airlines in March 2026. Here’s a look at its history:
| Registration | Operator | Period | Configuration / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-ONOU | Air Austral | 2009–2014 | Initial delivery; C18W40Y384; GE engines |
| F-ONOU | Garuda Indonesia | 2014 | Lease from Air Austral |
| EI-WLA | AerCap | 2017 | Transition / lessor phase |
| EI-WLA | Alitalia | 2017–2021 | Passenger → “preighter” conversion (2020); grounded 2021 |
| VQ-BZB | AerCap / Azur Air ops | 2021–2023 | Storage and lease transitions |
| TC-LKD | Turkish Airlines | 2023–2026 | C7Y524 configuration; returned to lessor 2026 |
| TC-LKD | IndiGo (lease period) | 2023 | Short-term lease from Turkish Airlines |
At the time of the Antalya incident, TC-LKD had not yet been repainted into Turkish Airlines’ standard livery — it was still wearing a modified version of the IndiGo livery, with IndiGo titles removed. TC-LKE remains parked.
Key technical specifications of the Boeing 777-300ER type are:
- Engines: 2 × General Electric GE90-115B, the most powerful commercial jet engine ever certified, producing up to 115,300 lb of thrust each
- Wingspan: 212.6 feet (64.8 metres)
- Length: 242.4 feet (73.9 metres)
- Maximum Range: approximately 7,370 nautical miles (13,650 km)
- Typical Seating: 340–396 passengers in standard two-class configuration
- Maximum Capacity: 550 passengers in high-density layout
- Cruise Speed: Mach 0.84 (approximately 905 km/h)
- Maximum Cruising Altitude: 43,100 feet
- Maximum Take-Off Weight: 352,400 kg (777,000 lb)
The 777-300ER is approximately 34% longer in range than the base 777-300, made possible by higher fuel capacity and a strengthened fuselage, wings, empennage, and engine attachments. A total of over 800 777-300ERs were ordered, and the type remains the backbone of many long-haul widebody fleets worldwide.
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How Wingtip Clearance Errors Happen
Taxiway margin violations by large aircraft are a known risk category in commercial aviation. Ground operations present unique situational awareness challenges for flight crews compared to airborne phases. Pilots cannot directly observe their wingtips from the cockpit, and the cockpit windows of a Boeing 777 sit approximately 7 metres (23 feet) above the ground — further reducing the ability to judge lateral clearances.
Ground radar systems and surface movement guidance technologies exist specifically to reduce these risks. The irony of this incident is that the object struck was itself a ground radar installation — equipment that forms part of the airport’s safety infrastructure.
Airport taxiway signage and pavement markings defining wingspan limits are the primary crew-facing tool for avoiding restricted lanes. When an aircraft departs the correct routing, even briefly, the consequences can be severe given the enormous lateral reach of widebody aircraft.
The investigation will need to determine whether the deviation came from the crew, from an air traffic control routing instruction, or from a combination of both. Neither Turkish Airlines nor Turkish aviation regulators have indicated a preliminary cause at time of writing.
Turkish Airlines’ Recent Incident Record
The Antalya ground collision is the latest in a series of incidents involving Turkish Airlines aircraft in 2025 and 2026. Last month, Turkish Airlines Airbus A330, registered TC-JNP, operating flight TK726 from Istanbul, experienced a tyre fire on its right main landing gear immediately after touching down at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), Kathmandu. All 288 persons aboard were evacuated safely. The aircraft’s positioning on the taxiway closed KTM’s sole runway for 98 consecutive minutes.
Further incidents logged by AeroInside include a Turkish Airlines Airbus A321-200N on flight TK-1955 from Istanbul to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) in February 2026, and a Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-300 on flight TK-733 from Colombo (CMB) to Istanbul in December 2025. In August 2025, FlightGlobal reported that a Turkish Airlines A330 freighter crew climbed without air traffic control clearance near Mumbai, coming within 1,000 feet of a Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 9 travelling in the opposite direction.
In December 2025, a Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300ER on flight TK1821 suffered a tyre burst during landing on runway 26L at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). The aircraft stopped on a taxiway and passengers deplaned normally. These events collectively span multiple aircraft types and operational phases — ground, landing, climb, and now post-landing taxi — underscoring the breadth of the operational categories under review.
Despite these events, aviation safety databases note that Turkish Airlines has maintained a 7/7 safety rating from AirlineRatings.com, which accounts for audits, incident records, and broader fatality-free operational history. The airline carried more than 83 million passengers in 2024 and operates to over 350 destinations across more than 130 countries.
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Repairs And the Investigation Timeline for TC-KLD
Simple Flying noted that the repair timeline for TC-LKD will likely take at least several weeks and could extend to several months depending on the extent of damage to the right-wing structure and rear fuselage. A mast penetration into the fuselage skin is a significant structural event that will require detailed engineering assessment before any repair scope can be defined.
The aircraft has been towed to a parking area at AYT and is grounded pending a technical inspection. Turkish aviation authorities have opened a formal investigation. Airport officials at Antalya have not yet released detailed statements regarding the maintenance status or placement of the radar installation at the time of the incident.
Under international civil aviation standards governed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Turkey’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), all parties — the airline, the airport, and air traffic control — are expected to submit records and data to the investigation. The outcome of that process will determine whether regulatory action, procedural changes, or infrastructure modifications at AYT follow.