A light aircraft in Australia’s New South Wales state made an emergency “wheels-up” touchdown at Newcastle Airport after experiencing a landing gear failure. Pilot Peter Schott, accompanied by one passenger, reported mechanical issues shortly after takeoff on Monday morning.
Pilot Peter Schott, from Queensland state, was flying a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air bound for Port Macquarie when he heard concerning mechanical sounds and noticed a red light indicating landing gear problems. Opting to abort the flight, Peter Schott conducted low fly-bys for emergency crews to assess the situation.
Realizing the issue couldn’t be resolved mid-flight, Peter Schott spent four hours burning off fuel before executing the landing, during which the plane skidded along the runway before stopping.
Footage of the landing went viral, showing the plane grinding along the runway as onlookers cheered and applauded. Peter Schott, describing the landing as “quite textbook,” credited his training and focus on minimizing risks.
Passenger Michael Reynolds, though feeling unwell during the ordeal, praised Peter Schott’s calmness and communication throughout the incident.
New South Wales Police Superintendent Wayne Humphrey commended Peter Schott for his expert handling of the emergency, labeling the landing a “textbook wheels-up” maneuver.
