Emergency landing at East Midlands Airport after wheels snapped off jet as it landed on runway

 

Damage: The wheels which detached from the aircraft

This incredible photo shows wheels which snapped off a jet as it landed at East Midlands Airport.
The Boeing 737, which was carrying 10 tonnes of freight to the UK from Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, when it skidded across the runway after its landing gear separated.
The plane, which had two crew and no passengers on board, eventually came to a stop after sliding down the tarmac.
Fortunately no-one was hurt in the accident, which was detailed today by the Air Accidents Investigations Board.
The report says: "During the landing at East Midlands Airport, as the aircraft's speed reduced, the co-pilot handed control to the commander who then made a brake pedal application to disengage the automatic brake system.
"The aircraft shuddered and rolled slightly as the lower part of the main landing gear detached.

 

Flight: The plane had been carrying freight into East Midlands Airport

"The inner cylinder of the main landing gear had fractured, allowing the main left wheels and brakes to detach."
The report details how the flight started out in Athens taking cargo to Paris and heading from their to East Midlands Airport on April 29 last year.
The plane, which had been carrying 10 tonnes of freight and 8 tonnes of fuel, alerted the airport that it was having a problem as it descended.
The report says: "The co-pilot made a transmission to the tower controller, reporting that the aircraft was in difficulties, after which the co-pilot of another aircraft made a transmission referring to smoke from the 737's landing gear.
"He was concerned that the aircraft might be on fire."

Damage: The landing gear was found to have fractured due to "intense heating"

The plane was not on fire but, as it landed on the runway, it skidded for 115 metres "veering left before coming to a gentle stop".
The landing gear fell off because of a fracture caused by "intense, localised heating" of chrome plating.
The gear was found to have been within "acceptable tolerances," before it came off.
The report concludes that the "landing gear overhaul company has carried out a comprehensive review of their processes as a precaution.
"A variety of factors caused some communications between air traffic control and other agencies not to flow as smoothly as might have been otherwise the case.
"(As a result) the airport operator issued a safety bulletin to air traffic controllers reminding them of emergency communication protocols and procedures, undertook a review of internal emergency communications procedures and planned investment in new communications equipment in order to enable better and more automated communications."
Meanwhile, earlier this month footage showed the moment two Ryanair planes appeared to clip wings at Dublin Airport.
The planes were taxiing along the runway when the winglet of one aircraft looked to have touched the tail fin of another.
"Both aircraft were under the instruction of Dublin airport air traffic control at the time,” Ryanair said in a statement.