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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Belfast Flybe flight lands without nose gear | Belfast Flybe flight lands without nose gear |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Belfast passenger plane has landed without nose gear after it experienced "technical issues" and circled for more than an hour above the Irish Sea. | A Belfast passenger plane has landed without nose gear after it experienced "technical issues" and circled for more than an hour above the Irish Sea. |
| Fifty-three passengers and four crew members were on board the Flybe flight BE331 from Belfast City Airport to Inverness, which had to be diverted. | Fifty-three passengers and four crew members were on board the Flybe flight BE331 from Belfast City Airport to Inverness, which had to be diverted. |
| It landed at Belfast International Airport at about 13:30 GMT. | It landed at Belfast International Airport at about 13:30 GMT. |
| The airline said one passenger was taken to hospital with "a minor hand injury" but no-one else was hurt. | The airline said one passenger was taken to hospital with "a minor hand injury" but no-one else was hurt. |
| 'Difficult manoeuvre' | 'Difficult manoeuvre' |
| "Flybe can confirm that there has been an incident involving one of our Bombardier Q-400 aircraft, flight no BE331 which landed with no nose gear in place," its statement said. | "Flybe can confirm that there has been an incident involving one of our Bombardier Q-400 aircraft, flight no BE331 which landed with no nose gear in place," its statement said. |
| The Dash-8-400 aircraft was scheduled to leave Belfast at 11:05 GMT and was due to land in Scotland at 12:10. | The Dash-8-400 aircraft was scheduled to leave Belfast at 11:05 GMT and was due to land in Scotland at 12:10. |
| Shortly after take-off, the pilot identified a problem with the landing gear. | |
| The flight circled in a holding pattern for over an hour near Belfast Lough, before the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Belfast International Airport. | |
| The airport's operations director, Alan Whiteside, has praised the actions of the captain. | |
| "It was obvious on the [runway] approach that the nose wheel was not down and therefore he did have a problem," Mr Whiteside told the BBC's Evening Extra programme. | |
| "A superb bit of flying on behalf of the flight deck crew. | |
| "They landed the aircraft, touched down on the main wheels, held the nose of the aircraft up to the very last minute to bleed off the speed. | |
| "Then when the nose dropped, they were able to control it in a safe landing on the runway." | |
| Mr Whiteside added: "It was stressful for the crew, but it was probably just as stressful for the passengers." | |
| He told the programme that the "only injury was a sprained thumb, with one of the passengers". | |
| The damaged plane blocked the runway, but Mr Whiteside said that because there are two runways at Belfast International, the airport was able to continue operating. | |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was sending a team to Belfast International Airport to investigate the incident. | The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it was sending a team to Belfast International Airport to investigate the incident. |
| The pilots have also been praised by the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA). | |
| "Landing without a nose gear is a very difficult manoeuvre, but one pilots train extensively for," BALPA tweeted. | "Landing without a nose gear is a very difficult manoeuvre, but one pilots train extensively for," BALPA tweeted. |
| The Flybe pilots "appear to have done a sterling job", it added | The Flybe pilots "appear to have done a sterling job", it added |
| The airline said its "primary concern is for the welfare of the passengers and crew". | The airline said its "primary concern is for the welfare of the passengers and crew". |
| "We are sending a specialist team to Belfast to offer assistance and we will now do all we can to understand the cause of this incident." | "We are sending a specialist team to Belfast to offer assistance and we will now do all we can to understand the cause of this incident." |
| Fire crews were on standby at Belfast International Airport for an emergency landing, according to Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). | Fire crews were on standby at Belfast International Airport for an emergency landing, according to Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). |
| "The aircraft has landed safely. No action required from NIFRS at the scene," it tweeted. | "The aircraft has landed safely. No action required from NIFRS at the scene," it tweeted. |
| A number of flights were delayed for a time after the incident. | A number of flights were delayed for a time after the incident. |