What are aircraft risks during earthquakes?

প্রকাশ: শুক্রবার । নভেম্বর ২১, ২০২৫

Earthquakes don’t just shake the ground, they can seriously damage or destroy aircraft that are parked, taxiing, or being maintained. Below are the main problems that happen, ranked by how commonly they occur, with documented cases.

	Problem	What Actually Happens	Real Examples & References
1	Aircraft tipping over or falling off jacks	Strong lateral shaking lifts one wing and tips the plane onto its tail, wingtip, or nose.	27 Feb 2010 Chile earthquake (8.8 Mw): At Santiago Airport, a brand-new LAN Airbus A320 tipped onto its tail while parked.
			2011 Christchurch earthquake: Several light aircraft flipped upside-down at Christchurch Airport.
2	Collision between parked aircraft	Planes slide or roll into each other because parking brakes are not designed for seismic forces.	11 March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake (Japan): At Sendai Airport, several Japan Self-Defense Force helicopters and light planes collided and were severely damaged even before the tsunami arrived.
3	Structural damage from falling objects inside hangars	Tools, cranes, shelves, ceiling panels collapse onto aircraft.	1994 Northridge earthquake (Los Angeles): Many private jets and helicopters inside Van Nuys Airport hangars were crushed by collapsed roofs and falling maintenance platforms.
4	Landing-gear collapse or shock-strut failure	Sudden vertical or lateral acceleration exceeds the design limits of the landing gear.	2016 Kaikōura earthquake (New Zealand): A RNZAF NH90 helicopter’s landing gear partially collapsed while on the ground at Kaikōura airfield.
5	Fuel and hydraulic leaks / fires	Fuel lines, hydraulic hoses, or tanks rupture; sparks from broken electrical lines can ignite leaks.	1995 Kobe earthquake: Several JASDF helicopters at a base caught fire after fuel leaks ignited.
6	Damage to aircraft on jacks or in maintenance	Planes being serviced are especially vulnerable because they are raised and unbalanced.	2010 Chile earthquake: Two Boeing 737s under heavy maintenance in Santiago fell off their jacks and suffered major fuselage wrinkles.
7	Runway and taxiway cracks → aircraft stuck or damaged wheels	Aircraft can get stuck in new fissures or break wheels/tyres.	2001 Gujarat earthquake (India): Indian Air Force planes at Bhuj airfield had tyres burst and rims bent because of runway cracks.

Key Takeaway for Airports and Air Forces

-Parked aircraft with full fuel (heavy) are more stable than light/empty ones.

-Never leave aircraft on jacks during a seismic zone’s active period.

-Modern tiedown points and wheel chocks help, but they are often insufficient above magnitude 7.0.

-Hangars are frequently more dangerous than open tarmac because of collapsing roofs.

In short, earthquakes are one of the few natural disasters that can destroy perfectly airworthy aircraft while they are simply sitting on the ground.

Scientific & Official References

-EERI (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute) – Special Report on 2010 Chile earthquake (photos of tipped A320).

-Japanese Government Damage Report, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake – Section on Sendai Airport aircraft collisions.

-FEMA P-751 – Earthquake Design Guidelines for Hangars (explains why aircraft on jacks are the most vulnerable).

-New Zealand Defence Force After-Action Report, 2016 Kaikōura earthquake (NH90 landing-gear incident).

-ASCE Journal paper: “Performance of Airport Facilities in Recent Earthquakes” (2014) – comprehensive list of aircraft damage cases.