A stowaway was found dead Sunday in the landing gear of an American Airlines flight arriving in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Europe.

Maintenance crews discovered the individual around 9 a.m., and police confirmed the person had died on scene.

American Airlines and Charlotte Airport said they are cooperating with the investigation and expressed condolences.

Aviation experts note that stowing away in a plane’s wheelwell is extremely dangerous due to freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen at high altitudes, making survival almost impossible, ABC News has reported.

While rare cases of survival exist, such incidents are exceptionally uncommon and pose serious risks to both stowaways and flight safety.