Frontier A321neo Makes hard Landing, Loses Wheel and Engine Flames

SAN JUAN- A Frontier Airlines (F9) aircraft experienced an unusually severe landing incident at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan (SJU).

The incident went far beyond typical passenger discomfort and resulted in mechanical failures. Emergency procedures and runway closures were initiated.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Frontier A321neo Hard Landing

On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Frontier flight F93506 departed Orlando (MCO) for its scheduled journey to San Juan (SJU).

The aircraft involved was a relatively new Airbus A321neo, just two years old, with registration N607FR. The plane carried 228 passengers and crew members.

The 1,189-mile journey proceeded without incident until the final approach into San Juan (SJU). At approximately 9:40 PM local time, as the aircraft attempted to land on runway 10, it made extremely hard contact with the ground.

The landing was so severe that the aircraft physically bounced off the runway surface. The pilots immediately decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around procedure. During the climb-out phase, observers noticed streaks of flames shooting from the aircraft’s left engine.

The engine appeared to have ingested or struck debris that became dislodged during the rough runway contact. The situation was serious enough that airport authorities closed all runways due to potential debris concerns, causing diversions for other incoming flights.

Photo- Flightradar24

Second Landing Attempt

After the failed landing attempt, the Airbus spent an additional 40 minutes airborne. The flight crew methodically worked through emergency checklists to assess the situation. They then performed a low approach over the airport to allow ground personnel to visually inspect the aircraft for damage.

The A321neo finally touched down safely at 10:20 PM. Rather than taxiing to a gate, the aircraft remained on the runway. Ground crews brought stairs directly to the plane, and passengers disembarked onto the runway surface.

Extent of Damage

The most visible damage was the complete absence of one of the two nose gear wheels. This unusual failure raises significant questions about the exact sequence of events during the initial landing attempt.

Investigators will need to determine if the nose gear contacted the runway during the first attempt and whether the missing wheel might have been ingested by the engine, causing the observed flames.

Investigation Underway

The aircraft remained grounded for 36 hours following the incident. While replacing a nose wheel is relatively straightforward, the potential damage to the engine and possible structural issues will require a thorough assessment.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the incident. Aviation experts find it particularly unfortunate that such serious damage occurred to a nearly new aircraft that had been in service for only two years.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan; Photo- Wikipedia

Airport Impact

The incident significantly disrupted operations at San Juan’s airport (SJU). The runway closures implemented to search for potentially dangerous debris affected numerous other flights, with some being diverted to alternate airports. Normal operations resumed only after a complete safety inspection of all runway surfaces.

Frontier Airlines (F9) has not yet released a detailed statement about the incident or estimates for when the damaged aircraft might return to service.

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