Belly Landing: A Delicate Dance Between Skill and Safety

Belly landing, also known as gear-up landing, is an emergency landing technique in which an aircraft lands without extending its landing gear. It is a last resort option for pilots. They use BL when they are unable to deploy the landing gear due to technical or mechanical failure. However, belly landings come with significant risks, and the management of the landing requires careful planning and execution.
(Although the terms are often used interchangeably, ‘gear-up landing’ commonly refers to landings with retracted gear, while ‘belly landing’ broadly describes any landing on the aircraft’s underside.)

Unveiling the Culprits: Causes of Belly Landings

1. Mechanical Malfunction: This is the most frequent culprit, encompassing issues like hydraulic system failures, electrical component malfunctions, or landing gear system breakdowns. These can prevent the gear from deploying or retracting properly.
2. Human Error: Even the most seasoned pilots are susceptible to mistakes. Miscalculations during landing procedures, forgetting to lower the landing gear due to stress or distraction, or improper handling of landing gear malfunctions can all contribute to a belly landing.
3. Environmental Adversaries: Adverse weather conditions such as strong crosswinds or turbulence can complicate aircraft handling and increase the difficulty of an already abnormal landing situation.
4. Aircraft Damage: Pre-existing damage to the landing gear itself or its control systems can render it inoperable, leading to a belly landing scenario. This damage could stem from prior incidents, wear and tear, or even bird strikes.

Risks of Belly Landing

Belly landings pose significant risks to both passengers and crew members. Some of the potential risks include:

Structural damage: Belly landing can cause significant damage to the aircraft, including the fuselage, engines, and wings.
Fire or explosion: Belly landing can create sparks or friction, which may result in a fire or explosion.
Injury to passengers and crew: The impact of the landing can cause significant injury to passengers and crew members, including broken bones and spinal injuries.

Management Methods

Managing a belly landing requires careful planning and execution. Here are some of the steps involved:

Alerting passengers and crew: The pilot should alert the passengers and crew members about the impending belly landing and instruct them on what to do.
Preparing the cabin: The cabin crew should secure loose items and prepare the cabin for impact.
Landing procedure: The pilot should carefully plan the landing trajectory and approach speed, taking into consideration the condition of the runway.
Emergency response: The pilot should initiate an emergency response as soon as possible after the landing, including evacuating the passengers and crew and alerting emergency services.

ATC Role During Belly Landing Emergencies

Air Traffic Control (ATC) plays an important role during belly landing emergencies. Controllers prioritize the aircraft, clear surrounding traffic, and coordinate emergency services such as ARFF teams before landing. ATC may also provide extra time for troubleshooting, assist with visual landing gear checks, and select the most suitable runway for the emergency landing. After touchdown, controllers coordinate runway closure, emergency response vehicles, and overall airport traffic flow to maintain safety throughout the operation.

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16 Belly Landing Incident (November 1, 2011)

On November 1, 2011, LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16, a Boeing 767, made a successful belly landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport after the landing gear failed to deploy due to hydraulic issues. The crew, after confirming the gear failure with fighter jets and dumping fuel, skillfully executed the emergency landing. Although the aircraft sustained significant damage, all 231 passengers and crew were safely evacuated with no injuries. The incident is often praised as an exemplary demonstration of crew resource management​ Wikipedia,​ Skybrary,​ Krakow Post.

Recommended: Expected Approach Time (EAT)

Conclusion

While BLs are undoubtedly serious events, it is crucial to remember that proper training, meticulous preparation, and quick decision-making by pilots can significantly improve the outcome for everyone involved. By understanding the causes, risks, and management methods associated with belly landings, we can appreciate the skill and dedication required from pilots to navigate such challenging situations.

References and Further Reading:

1. “Belly Landing.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Mar. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_landing.
2. “Gear-up Landing.” SKYbrary, EUROCONTROL, 29 Mar. 2022, www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Gear-up_Landing.