F-15 landing gear failure shuts Naha Airport runway for hours

On Tuesday, an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 that had just completed a scramble mission touched down at Naha Airport in Okinawa, but the aircraft’s left main landing gear fractured, causing it to sit askew on Runway B. The transport ministry reported that the runway was closed at approximately 12:55 p.m. and remained out of service for about four hours while a crane lifted the jet onto a truck for removal. During the closure, civilian flights were rerouted to Runway A, leading to arrival and departure delays.

No injuries were reported. Governor Denny Tamaki described the incident as “gravely disappointing” and urged a swift inquiry into its cause and preventive measures. Runway B, operational since March 2020, returned to normal use after the jet’s removal.