A video in Australia on Monday captured a plane making a dramatic landing without its landing gear after suffering a mechanical failure mid-flight.
Police in New South Wales (NSW) are now praising the pilot, identified as 53-year-old Peter Schott of Queensland, for his heroics at Newcastle Airport. The small plane left the airport early Monday morning with two passengers before having to turn around due to an issue with its landing gear.
"He made a textbook wheels-up landing, which I was very happy to see … it was a great result. Really well done by the pilot," NSW Police Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said, according to NCA NewsWire.
Data from the website FlightRadar24 showed the plane, a Beechcraft Super King Air, circling the airport for hours before it made its safe landing.
The small plane is seen approaching Newcastle Airport on Monday, May 13 for a landing without its landing gear. Officials say it was determined by the pilot shortly after takeoff that the landing gear would not come back down due to a mechanical issu (Reuters/Australian Broadcasting Corporation / Reuters Photos)
In a video of the landing, the aircraft could be heard grinding along the runway after touching down on the tarmac.
A crowd that had gathered to witness the landing erupted in applause and an emergency vehicle later was seen racing toward the plane.
The plane is seen grinding along the tarmac at Newcastle Airport after touching down. (Reuters/Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Schott told 9News that he circled the airport to burn through the aircraft’s fuel.
"It was all about minimizing risk, so I had a figure in the back of my mind of how much fuel I wanted on-board for the least risk and I just circled until I got that figure," he said.
Schott also said he plans to "have a wine" following the ordeal.
Emergency vehicles are seen surrounding the plane following its landing at Newcastle Airport. (Reuters/Australian Broadcasting Corporation / Reuters Photos)
One of the passengers onboard the plane, Michael Reynolds, told 9News that Schott did "a wonderful job" and "stayed 100 percent calm all the time – I have got to give it to him."