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Miracle Landing: Dramatic Moment Pilot Lands Plane Carrying 231 Without Wheels on Live TV – And Why a South Korean Jet Couldn't Do the Same

Dramatic footage has resurfaced showing the heart-stopping moment when a plane carrying 231 people landed on its belly – without its landing gear – all broadcast live on TV.

The footage, which originally aired in 2011, shows the incredible skill of the pilot who managed to safely bring down the Polish LOT Airlines flight in Warsaw, Poland, after the plane’s landing gear failed to deploy. The plane had been flying from Newark, New Jersey, when the crew noticed issues with the landing gear as they neared their destination.

To give themselves time to figure things out, the pilots circled the airport for about an hour before making the tense decision to attempt the landing without the wheels. As the plane touched down on the runway, sparks flew, and a small fire broke out, but miraculously, no one was hurt.

LOT Airlines’ president Marcin Pirog said at the time, “There was no panic among the passengers. The cabin crew did an excellent job of preparing everyone for the emergency landing.” He added that this was the first time a LOT plane had ever landed without the landing gear deployed.

The video has resurfaced following a tragic plane crash in South Korea, where 179 people were killed after a similar emergency landing attempt went horribly wrong. On Sunday, a Jeju Air flight was forced to make a similar belly landing, but unlike the Polish jet, this one ended in disaster.

The plane, carrying 181 people, hit the runway at Muan International Airport at high speed, skidded out of control, and crashed into a concrete wall, exploding in a fireball. Only two people survived, and all others onboard were killed.

Aviation expert Julian Bray explained the key differences between the two situations. He noted that the Polish flighthad a significant advantage – the pilots had both engines working and ample time to follow emergency procedures. However, in the case of the South Korean crash, it appears the Jeju Air plane had a damaged engine and was already facing serious challenges before the pilots even attempted to land.

Bray explained: "You have to remember that the South Korean jet was flying with one damaged engine. This already compromised the entire aircraft. The pilots wouldn’t have been sure about the status of the aircraft’s systems, especially the electrical and hydraulic systems. Those systems control everything from landing gear to the ability to deploy flaps. If those were damaged, it could prevent the wheels from coming down."

Bray speculated that a bird strike may have caused the damage to the engine, which led to a malfunction in the landing gear. Despite multiple attempts to land, the situation quickly deteriorated. The plane crashed on its final attempt, hitting the runway at a high speed before slamming into the concrete wall.

Video footage of the crash shows the plane’s right engine being struck by a bird as it approached the airport. The pilot then attempted to shut down the damaged engine while struggling to maintain control of the aircraft.

After several failed landing attempts, the plane finally hit the tarmac but continued to speed off the end of the runway. Tragically, it collided with the concrete wall, triggering an explosion when the fuel tanks ruptured, leading to a devastating fire.

The Jeju Air crash is considered one of the darkest days in recent memory for South Korea, as the majority of passengers were Korean, with only two Thai nationals onboard. The loss of life is a tragic reminder of the challenges and dangers pilots face during emergency situations.

While the miraculous landing in Poland showed the incredible skill and calm of the pilots, the South Korean disaster highlights how quickly circumstances can turn from hopeful to tragic, even with heroic efforts.