A retired Airbus A340 that spent more than two decades flying for Turkish Airlines was destroyed by fire on Saturday, September 5, at an aviation and science center in Turkey.
The fire broke out at the UçakPark Aviation and Science Center in Çayırova, Kocaeli province, where the former airliner had been preserved as an educational attraction. Videos from the scene show flames engulfing much of the fuselage as firefighters attempted to control the blaze.
During the fire, the rear fuselage lost structural integrity and the aircraft’s tail collapsed onto firefighting vehicles positioned alongside it. Despite the dramatic incident, local authorities reported no injuries.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known and is under investigation.
More than 20 years with Turkish Airlines
The aircraft was TC-JDL, an Airbus A340-311 with manufacturer serial number 57. It was delivered new to Turkish Airlines in 1994, when the four-engine widebody was an important part of the carrier’s developing long-haul fleet.
TC-JDL remained with Turkish Airlines for more than two decades and also wore Star Alliance colors during part of its career. The airline eventually retired its A340 fleet as newer twin-engine widebodies took over its long-haul operations.
After leaving airline service, the aircraft avoided scrapping and was acquired by the municipality of Çayırova.
Its initial future on the ground was quite different from what eventually happened. The municipality planned to convert the A340 into a restaurant and reportedly spent 1.5 million Turkish lira to acquire the aircraft.
The project was subsequently abandoned following a change in the local administration. By 2020, Turkish media were reporting that the aircraft was deteriorating outdoors while the unused investment became the subject of local political criticism.
From restaurant project to aviation center
The A340 eventually found another purpose. Instead of becoming a restaurant, it was incorporated into UçakPark, an aviation and science center developed as an educational facility.
The preserved aircraft became the centerpiece of the site, allowing visitors to enter a former commercial widebody while the facility hosted activities related to aviation and science.
Its destruction ends an unusual second life for an aircraft that had survived after retirement from commercial service.
The A340 was Airbus’ first four-engine widebody and entered airline service in 1993. Production ended in 2011 after 377 aircraft had been built across the A340-200, -300, -500 and -600 variants.
Although relatively few remain in regular passenger service, a number of retired A340s have survived as government aircraft, test platforms, training equipment or preserved exhibits.
The damage to TC-JDL appears extensive, with the fire consuming much of the fuselage and the rear section collapsing during the emergency response.
