Passengers On Plane Didn't Realize They Were Making A Belly Landing

You’ve probably heard by now about the LOT Polish Airlines flight from Newark to Warsaw that was forced to land on its belly after the Boeing 767’s landing gear failed. But according to some passengers on the plane, the landing went so smoothly they didn’t realize they were skidding down the runway on the jet’s belly.

“It was unexpectedly calm,” one passenger told reporters after the incident. “We were sure we landed on wheels. We were clapping our hands, but it turned out there were no wheels.”

There were 220 passengers and 11 crew members on board the flight, which had to circle the airport for an additional 90 minutes in order to burn off more fuel to reduce the risk of fire during the landing.

Passengers were met by emergency personnel and permitted to go home after a medical examination and a brief police interview.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.