[Breaking] San Antonio: Plane Makes Emergency Belly Landing
A single engine prop plane made an emergency belly landing shortly before 4 P.M. in San Antonio, Texas today.
The single engine prop plane, which carried at least four people, began circling San Antonio International Airport around 12:30. The plane was unable to get its left landing gear to open and was forced to circle the airport in order to burn fuel. According to Fox News live coverage, air controllers considered the options of a belly landing or attempting to touch down with the (working) right landing gear in the hope that it would jar the stuck landing gear open.
According to a Chron report, no fewer than 11 emergency crews were on hand to deal with whatever problems may have been experienced with the single prop plane’s emergency landing in San Antonio.
Ultimately, a belly landing was employed, with the pilot making several low passes before slowing down as much as possible and landing the airplane on its bottom with its landing gear retracted. The pilot and passengers appeared to exit the prop plane safely after the emergency landing, and San Antonio emergency responders immediately rushed to help the plane’s passengers to safety.
Local San Antonio television channel WFAA TV Tweeted this picture of the plane after the emergency landing:
Small plane landed successfully, without landing gear, at San Antonio International Airport (image via KENS 5). pic.twitter.com/GWCPZaAbne
— WFAA TV (@wfaachannel8) July 1, 2014
Update: According to a report in the local Fox Affiliate, there were no injuries. Here is live footage of the emergency landing. Here is video of the San Antonio emergency landing:
