Tragedy averted as Lufthansa jumbo jet's tail almost touches the runway at Los Angeles International Airport – Watch viral video

A Lufthansa jumbo jet came frighteningly close to hitting its tail on the runway at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as the pilot aborted the landing attempt on Saturday afternoon (October 10). Footage being circulated on social media shows the Boeing 747-8 aircraft descending towards Runway 24R and briefly touching the tarmac before flying back into the sky. In the video, the plane's tail appears just a few inches away from striking the ground.

Plane landed 30 minutes later

The incident involved Lufthansa's flight LH 456, which departed the Frankfurt Airport in Germany around 11 am (local time) on Saturday. The plane eventually landed in California around 1:45 pm (local time) -- roughly 30 minutes later than scheduled. The incident was captured on camera by aviation enthusiasts at Airline Videos Live. The number of people on board the plane at the time of the incident is not known, but the Boeing 747-8 has a seating capacity of over 360, according to Lufthansa's website.

What happened with the aircraft

In the now-viral video, the wheels of the plane appear to make contact with the runway. But the pilots then choose to abort the landing and climb into the sky again. For a brief moment, the gap between the tail of the aircraft and the ground appears dangerously small. Within seconds, the plane is airborne again, with its landing gear still extended as it flies above the airport. The crew then prepared to make another approach to the Los Angeles airport.

The Boeing jumbo jet

Lufthansa has operated the Boeing 747 for over five decades. The Boeing 747-8 is the latest passenger variant of the wide-body aircraft, and is commonly referred to as the Jumbo Jet. The Boeing 747-8 is around 5.6 meters longer than previous 747 variants, making it one of the longest passenger jets in service.

The incident came after Lufthansa and other airlines temporarily suspended flights to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, after attacks on the city's main airport were reported. In a statement, the Lufthansa Group said that its airlines would suspend flights to Riyadh through October 16 due to "current developments in the Middle East."

About the Lufthansa Group

Lufthansa is owned by the Lufthansa Group, a German aviation company headquartered in Cologne that also owns several other major carriers in Europe, including the national carriers of Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.