Australia: Plane makes successful wheels-up emergency landing at Newcastle Airport

New South Wales [Australia], May 13 (ANI): Two passengers and a pilot have remained unhurt after a small plane was forced to land without landing gear after a mechanical failure at Newcastle Airport in Australia’s New South Wales, CNN reported.

The aircraft, a Beach B-200 Super King, circled the airport for hours, burning fuel, before making a “textbook” wheels-up emergency landing, CNN affiliate Nine News reported. The plane was scheduled to make a 26-minute flight from Newcastle to Port Macquarie.

The footage shows the plane approaching the runway without its landing gear activated before touching down at the airport and skidding along the tarmac until it comes to a stop. Emergency response vehicles were on standby and could be seen racing to the aid of the aircraft.

NSW Police Superintendent Wayne Humphrey lauded the 53-year-old pilot for executing a successful landing. Humphrey said that no one was injured and passengers had been able to drive home, CNN reported, citing Nine News.

Humphrey said, “It was a great result, really well done by the pilot.” He said, “I could hear him on the air, he sounded very calm to me,” CNN reported.

For several hours, the plane had been circling the airport to burn fuel, the report said. Humphrey said those guiding the plane down in the control room burst into applause when they witnessed the plane landing safely at the airport.