Two pilots escaped injury but endured a frightening flight after their plane’s landing gear failed to engage, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Cowra Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
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The Beechcraft twin engine aircraft, carrying local Fly Oz instructor Lyn Gray and student pilot Ben Ryan from Camden, was attempting to land when its nose landing gear malfunctioned, resulting in an air alert being issued.
A post on the Fly Oz Facebook page revealed, upon inspection by engineers following the incident, “the nose landing gear doors were completely jammed closed requiring brute force to unlatch it.”
The landing was executed on Runway 33.
Both pilots prepared for landing by removing headsets, pushing seats back and promptly switching electrical equipment and fuel off just after touchdown, the Facebook post said.
Fly Oz instructor Lyn Gray said she has been in similar scenarios in the past, but not for a long time.
“God bless mechanical things,” Lyn Gray said. “You always get a bit of adrenaline [in that situation].”
The flight left Cowra Airport about 12.50pm for the purpose of an instrument proficiency test to Parkes and back to Cowra.
Once the pilots received indication of the fault, the aircraft made several low passes so Fly Oz staff and airport engineers could inspect the nose landing gear.
It remained fully retracted.
Emergency services flocked to the scene but the plane landed safely, with no front wheel deployed, about 3.40pm.
It’s understood the plane lapped Cowra Airport for roughly half an hour.
Lyn said the aircraft will no doubt fly again, despite suffering minor damage.
It was quickly towed from Runway 33 within half an hour.
Inspector Peter Atkins of Orange police said it was fortunate the pilots were able to land the plane safely and praised the swift work of emergency services.
Tuesday, 4.30pm
A plane has made an emergency landing at Cowra Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency services flocked to the scene about 3.15pm.
A fault with the plane stopped the front wheels from engaging.
The emergency landing was made about 3.40pm on a landing strip at Cowra Airport.
The plane was in the air for roughly half an hour.
No injuries were reported.
More to come.