Plane makes successful emergency landing in Australia after circling the airport for hours

Two passengers and a pilot escaped unharmed from a small plane after it was forced to land without landing gear following a mechanical failure at Newcastle Airport in New South Wales, Australia.

The plane, a Beach B-200 Super King, circled the airport for hours burning fuel before making an emergency landing with its wheels up. CNN affiliate Nine News reported.

The images show the plane approaching the runway without its landing gear engaged before landing and skidding along the runway until it stopped.

Emergency response vehicles were on standby and could be seen in the video rushing to help the plane.

NSW Police Superintendent Wayne Humphrey praised the 53-year-old pilot for executing a successful landing, saying no one was injured and the passengers were able to return home, Nine News reported.

“It was a great result, very well done by the driver,” said Humphrey. “I could hear him in the air, he seemed very calm to me.”

The plane had been circling the airport for several hours to burn fuel.

Those guiding the plane in the control room applauded when they saw it had landed safely, Humphrey said.

The plane was scheduled to make a 26-minute flight from Newcastle to Port Macquarie, about 400 kilometers (248 miles) north of Sydney.

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