On social media, many viewers were stunned after a resurfaced video showed a plane landing without wheels, sparking comparisons to the South Korea tragedy.
A resurfaced video has brought back haunting memories of a near-disastrous plane landing.
This footage, capturing a Boeing 767 landing on its belly without its wheels deployed, surfaced online following the recent tragic South Korean plane crash.
The video depicts the terrifying landing of a Polish LOT Airlines flight in 2011 at Warsaw Chopin airport, which was broadcast live to millions of viewers.
The 2011 polish LOT Airlines emergency landing
The flight had traveled from Newark, New Jersey, and was carrying 231 passengers when the crew noticed an issue.
The pilots circled the airport for an hour before deciding to make an emergency belly landing.
Despite the tense situation, the plane suffered only a small fire and was seen smoking on the runway. Miraculously, no one was injured during the incident.
This dramatic event is now being compared to a recent crash landing in South Korea, where a Jeju Air flight encountered a similar issue but with tragic results.
The December 2024 South Korea plane crash
On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air flight made a crash landing at Muan International Airport, resulting in the loss of 179 lives.
The aircraft had traveled at high speed, landing on its belly during a second attempt. After the plane hit the runway, it smashed into a concrete barrier, exploded, and ignited into a deadly fireball.
While the cause of the crash is still under investigation, comparisons between the two incidents are being made, with many speculating on why the South Korean landing ended in tragedy.
Key difference between the two landings
Aviation expert Julian Bray weighed in on the contrasting outcomes of the two landings.
He explained that pilots rehearse emergency landings like these using regular simulators. Most modern aircraft also feature manual levers to deploy landing gear in case of hydraulic failure.
However, Bray pointed out that the Polish LOT Airlines flight had a distinct advantage.
The pilot had time to dump fuel and slow down to 120 miles per hour before attempting the belly landing.
Additionally, both engines were still operational, which provided the necessary power for a safer landing.
In contrast, Bray suspects that the South Korean pilot may have been dealing with a sudden engine failure or other damages during the flight.
This could have been caused by an unexpected bird strike, which may have led to complications with the aircraft’s systems.
Possible cause for the South Korean crash
Bray also discussed the challenges the South Korean pilot may have faced during the emergency landing.
He suggested that the pilot might not have been able to deploy the landing gear due to a failure in the hydraulic system, possibly caused by the bird strike.
If the system malfunctioned, the pilot would have been left with limited options.
The expert further clarified that a bird strike was reported by the pilot in a mayday call to ground control before the crash.
Video footage also showed the jet approaching the runway when the right engine was struck.
Another critical factor in the crash was the concrete slab located at the end of the runway. While some may have thought it was a wall, Bray explained that it was a slab that should have collapsed upon impact. Had it not been there, he suggested, there might have been a chance to save more lives.
Ultimately, Bray concluded that the South Korean flight was unfortunate in many respects, and the tragic loss of life might have been avoidable with different circumstances.
The investigation into the crash continues.