DHL Cargo Flight Experiences Brake Lockup and Fire at LAX
A DHL Boeing 737-800 cargo flight suffered a high-voltage landing emergency at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Wednesday night. The aircraft, operated by Kalitta Charters II as flight KII1814 from Phoenix, experienced a sudden brake lockup on its left main landing gear when it touched down on the southernmost runway system.
The intense friction caused the gear to burst into flames, leaving a trail of smoke and fire along the runway. Air traffic controllers immediately declared an emergency, halting multiple incoming flights and ordering rapid go-arounds to keep the airspace clear.
Emergency personnel successfully extinguished the flames with heavy foam streams before they could reach the fuel tanks or cargo bay. The runway remains fully closed while mechanics assess the landing gear damage and debris is cleared from the tarmac, potentially causing lingering delays across regional flight schedules.
Federal aviation safety officials have initiated an investigation into the exact cause of the brake mechanism lockup.