Details Emerge After Qatar Airways-Liveried Boeing 777 Low Pass Video 

‍DOHA — If you're an aviation enthusiast, you've probably seen the viral clip of a Boeing 777 freighter in Qatar Airways (QR) livery making a very low pass over a runway. The video appears to show the aircraft's right wing coming dangerously close to striking the runway.

Qatar Airways (QR), however, was not particularly impressed by the incident. After the clip went viral and racked up millions of views across social media, the airline took notice and quickly issued a statement clarifying that the flight was not operated by a Qatari flight crew.

“We are aware of a video circulating on social media depicting a freighter aircraft, in Qatar Airways livery, conducting a low pass. The aircraft in the video is owned by a leasing company and not by Qatar Airways. The aircraft was undergoing a pre-delivery test flight prior to its planned entry into our cargo fleet. The flight was not operated by Qatar Airways and the pilots were not our personnel.”

Aircraft ownership and conversion details 

The aircraft was a P2F (passenger-to-freighter) conversion, an ex-Delta Air Lines (DL) Boeing 777-200LR that had been converted into a freighter and was being prepared for delivery to Qatar Airways, which had leased the aircraft. Shortly before the delivery flight to Qatar, the aircraft performed a low pass over the Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Centre.

Flightradar24 later confirmed the aircraft’s altitude in a social media post, stating:

“The lowest reported value as the 777 passed over the runway was 950 feet. After adjusting for local pressure and field elevation, this corresponds to an altitude of approximately field level.”

From the footage, the aircraft’s right wingtip appears to be only a foot or even just inches away from striking the runway as it banks to the right. Low passes are generally symbolic and not unusual, but this particular one, due to its perceived proximity to the ground, has caught the attention of many.

The incident is expected to be investigated by the FAA.

The company responsible for the conversion, Mammoth Freighters, later issued a statement clarifying that the aircraft was neither owned by the company nor operated by its pilots at the time of the low pass.

The owner of the aircraft, Jetran LLC, said it was aware of the incident and stated that it does not reflect the organization’s operational standards. It further added that the company will thoroughly review the matter and cooperate with the relevant authorities.