Dramatic moment plane is forced to make an emergency landing – with sparks flying as it scraped along the runway
Dramatic footage shows the moment a plane made an emergency landing in the dark after its landing gear failed on approach to Gold Coast Airport.
Sparks could be seen under the fuselage of the plane around 9pm on Tuesday evening when it landed on the runway without its landing gear deployed.
The plane had to circle the airport for about an hour in an attempt to burn fuel and reduce the chance of ignition before landing.
It is understood the two experienced pilots turned off all the plane’s electricity to prevent flammable fuels from catching fire on the way down.
Sparks were seen from the Beechcraft 58 Baron as it landed at Gold Coast Airport around 9pm on Tuesday evening (pictured)
Emergency services, including intensive care paramedics, were stationed on the tarmac in case of a failed landing.
‘We are preparing for the worst. And just hope for the best,” a Queensland Ambulance Services spokesperson said.
Both pilots were examined but did not need to be transported to hospital; both left the terrifying ordeal without a scratch.
The Beechcraft 58 Baron is owned by Air Gold Coast, a flight school in Queensland that has been offering training for almost 60 years.
Emergency services, including critical care paramedics, were stationed on the tarmac in the event of a failed landing (pictured). Both pilots walked away from the ordeal without a scratch
A Gold Coast Airport spokeswoman said: “A light aircraft experienced a technical problem with the landing gear on approach to Gold Coast Airport last night.
‘The experienced pilots on board landed the aircraft safely with the landing gear retracted. “There are no ongoing impacts to airport operations.”
‘The two pilots, between forty and sixty years old, were checked on site by ambulance personnel. No one was injured.’
The cause of the incident will now be investigated.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Air Gold Coast for comment.