Landing Gear Stuck
From 'Metro' 21 September 2005
Added: October 2005

Landing Gear Stuck - Call in the wing nuts! This is the jaw-dropping moment when three men in a Jeep managed to fix the jammed landing gear of a plane - as it cruised just meters above the runway.

The risky in-flight manoeuvre took place at 130kph (80mph) as the 4x4 sped alongside the airborne Cessna.

The incident began when the student pilot and instructor onboard radioed air traffic control to report that the landing gear was not working. Officials told the plane to circle the airport as they thought up an escape plan.

Rescuers jumped in to the Jeep and drove within metres of the light aircraft to pull down its landing gear with a pole - as the plane was still in the air.

'The Jeep had to go just about as fast as it could down the runway and the Cessna had to slow to almost stalling speed.' said Shannon Lewis, a spokesman for New Smyrna Beach airport in Florida.

'From a safety standpoint, it's not something we would promote under normal circumstances.'

The Jeep's three-man crew were finally able to see the problem after the Cessna made several passes along the runway.

On the final attempt, the men used a 2m (5f) pole to push the landing gear into place and lock it. The plane was eventually able to land safely.