Flight AA-62 | Registration: N871AY
Date: 28 March 2025 | Location: Miami International Airport (KMIA), Florida, USA
Introduction
On 28 March 2025, an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registration N871AY, operating international passenger service AA-62 from Miami International Airport (KMIA), Florida, to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG), France, experienced a landing gear malfunction shortly after departure.
The crew halted the climb at 5,000 feet following indications of gear trouble and entered a holding pattern over the Florida Everglades. After performing standard troubleshooting procedures and consulting with maintenance control, the flight returned to Miami for a safe landing on runway 09 approximately 65 minutes after take-off. No injuries were reported among the occupants.
The incident has been classified as a serious operational occurrence. The aircraft remained grounded for over 42 hours post-landing pending maintenance inspection and rectification.
Flight Details
• Aircraft Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
• Engines: 2 × General Electric GEnx-1B64
• Operator: American Airlines
• Tail Number: N871AY
• Flight Number: AA-62
• Callsign: AAL62
• Departure Airport: Miami International Airport (KMIA), USA
• Destination Airport: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG), France
• Date of Incident: 28 March 2025
• Occupants: Estimated 250 (including passengers and crew)
• Phase of Flight: Initial climb
• Altitude at Hold: 5,000 feet
• Runway Used for Take-Off: 08R
• Runway Used for Landing: 09
• Time of Occurrence: Approx. 18:25 local (22:25Z)
Sequence of Events
Take-Off and Initial Climb
Flight AA-62 departed Miami International Airport at approximately 18:20 local time using runway 08R. Climb-out appeared normal until shortly after gear retraction, when the crew received a gear status indication suggesting a possible malfunction. In response, the climb was stopped at 5,000 feet and ATC was advised of the issue.
Troubleshooting and Holding Pattern
The crew initiated standard abnormal checklists for landing gear issues and requested a holding pattern over the Everglades to allow time for additional diagnosis. During the hold, gear indications remained abnormal, although there was no indication of hydraulic failure, structural damage, or fire.
Return and Safe Landing
After extended coordination with American Airlines maintenance control, and with no resolution to the gear indication anomaly, the crew opted to return to Miami. The aircraft was vectored back for an approach to runway 09, where it landed safely approximately 65 minutes after initial departure. Emergency services were placed on standby as a precaution but were not required to intervene. The aircraft taxied to the apron under its own power.
Technical & Operational Analysis
Aircraft Background
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is equipped with an advanced electronically controlled landing gear system. The gear is monitored through various position sensors and hydraulic actuators, and abnormalities can result from mechanical faults, sensor discrepancies, or software glitches.
Possible Causes
Pending formal investigation, possible causes of the incident include:
• Faulty gear position sensor or proximity switch.
• Incomplete gear retraction cycle.
• Hydraulic system fault in the gear actuator circuit.
• Failure in the electronic control unit responsible for gear status feedback.
American Airlines maintenance teams are conducting a full inspection of the aircraft, including BITE (Built-In Test Equipment) diagnostics, to identify the fault.
Aftermath & Aircraft Status
• Post-Landing Inspection: Aircraft remained on the ground for more than 42 hours for engineering assessment.
• Replacement Aircraft: A Boeing 787-8, registration N807AA, was dispatched and completed the AA-62 service to Paris, departing on 29 March and arriving with a delay of approximately 29.5 hours.
• Passenger Impact: Passengers were rebooked or accommodated overnight pending the substitute flight.
Safety Actions & Follow-Up
• Crew Response: Handled the situation in accordance with Boeing and American Airlines SOPs, prioritising passenger safety and system integrity.
• Maintenance Investigation: A detailed fault analysis is ongoing, including download of system fault logs and component testing.
• Reporting: American Airlines has reported the event to the FAA and Boeing. The incident is under monitoring but has not yet been formally classified as an incident or reportable failure under NTSB or ICAO Annex 13 criteria.
Summary & Safety Considerations
This occurrence underscores the importance of advanced system monitoring and cautious flight crew response during system anomalies in flight. Although the incident did not result in injury or damage, the presence of gear warning indications required a full return and delayed a long-haul international service. The Boeing 787’s design redundancy and the crew’s adherence to procedure ensured a safe outcome.
Further findings will depend on maintenance teardown results and any applicable service bulletins or airworthiness directives that may arise following this event.
Disclaimer
This report is based on publicly available information and official statements as of 30 March 2025. Information may be subject to change pending further investigation or maintenance findings. If you are the rightful owner of any referenced content and wish it to be removed, please contact takedown@cockpitking.com.
