The Polish LOT airlines flight had flown from Newark, New Jersey to Poland when the pilots detected an issue. They circled the airport for an hour before deciding to land on the runway without the necessary landing gear.
Millions watched the tense landing live. Although the aircraft caught fire and emitted smoke on the runway, remarkably, no one was hurt.
This footage has resurfaced shortly after a similar incident in South Korea on Sunday, December 29, which did not end as fortunately.
In contrast to the Polish LOT flight, the Jeju Air plane crash resulted in a tragic outcome, with only two survivors among the 181 passengers. This incident is now considered the most devastating aviation disaster in South Korea.
Video clips reveal the plane making an emergency landing on its belly at Muan International Airport. This was its second landing attempt, and the plane collided with a concrete barrier at the runway’s end, resulting in a deadly explosion.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, leading many to compare the two incidents and question why Jeju Air’s landing was so catastrophic.
Aviation expert Julian Bray told The Sun that pilots and crew regularly practice emergency landings in simulators and that most planes have manual systems to release landing gear if hydraulics fail.
He noted that the Polish flight’s landing was “far more relaxed,” allowing the pilot to burn off fuel, reduce speed to 120 miles per hour, and maintain control with two operational engines.
In contrast, Bray speculates that the South Korean pilot may have faced sudden engine failure or other in-flight damage, possibly from a bird strike.
Bray explained, “You don’t know whether you’re running on the reserve electrics because the generator’s not working – that of course works the hydraulic pumps and enables the wheels to come down and a dozen other things. So if he hasn’t got that, he’s got a problem.”
He suggested that the pilot might have managed to deploy the wheels during the first landing attempt, but a possible bird nest could have obstructed the system during the second attempt.
“We don’t know – we’re going to have to find out,” he added. “The point is the wheels go up, they’re locked and that’s it, they remain locked. So he hasn’t got a lot of time, and he’s got a lot of things distracting him.”
Reports indicate the pilot sent a mayday call about a bird strike, and video footage shows the plane’s right engine being ‘struck’ as it approached the runway.
Bray also mentioned that the concrete ‘wall’ at the runway’s end was actually a slab meant to collapse on impact.
He added, “I’m afraid they didn’t have a chance. If that wasn’t there, then there’s a good hope that everybody could have been saved.”
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.