Plane’s landing gear snaps during dramatic landing

Dramatic footage shows the moment an aircraft’s landing gear snapped after it was forced to turn back to carry out an emergency landing.

Dramatic footage shows the moment an aircraft’s landing gear snaps as it touches down following an emergency landing.

The Cargolux-operated Boeing 747 was heading to Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday but was forced to turn back to Luxembourg Airport after its landing gear failed to retract.

A Flightradar24 playback clip shows the aircraft leaving Luxembourg where it climbed to a maximum of 10,000ft before doing a loop and returning.

The aircraft can be seen doing a loop after taking off from Luxembourg Airport. Picture: Flightradar24

It was in the air for 17 minutes before it returned to the airport with footage showing it touch down on the tarmac with the heavy landing causing one of its wheel bogeys to detach and bounce into the air.

Cargolux, the company that operates the plane, described it as a “significant landing incident”, adding that the plane also had to dump fuel.

The Cargolux-operated Boeing 747 was heading to Chicago O’Hare International Airport before it was forced to turn back after its landing gear failed to retract. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

The heavy landing caused one of its wheel bogeys to detach and bounce into the air. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

The damaged landing mechanism with mangled pieces of metal and loose wires where the wheels had been. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

“The aircraft was unable to retract its landing gear on takeoff from Luxembourg,” it said in a statement.

“As a result, it was forced to safely dump fuel in order to return to land at the airport.

“On its landing role its right body landing gear detached from the aircraft.”

The aftermath of the ‘significant landing incident’. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

Its four wheels seen on the grass adjacent to the runway. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

The company said the aircraft, however, came to a controlled stop and was attended to by the emergency services.

No one was injured during the emergency landing.

Footage taken of the aircraft as it lands shows that the moment its rear wheels hit the tarmac, smoke billows out from the friction.

To carry out the emergency landing it needed to dump fuel. Picture: Viralpress/Australscope

Seconds later one of its wheels is seen tearing off and flying into the air behind it as it barrels down the tarmac.

As smoke continues to streak out from under the wheels, a fire engine is seen driving past the camera en route to the runway.

Photos of the aftermath show the damage caused with a gaping hole in the plane’s undercarriage, as well as a second large dent where it appears the wheels had bounced up and into it.

Meanwhile, away from the plane, an image shows the four wheels on the grass adjacent to the runway.