30 December 2014. Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 has successfully conducted emergency landing at Gatwick Airport London due to failure on main landing gear.
The aircraft, Virgin Atlantic flight number VS43 had taken off from Gatwick at 11.44 am local time to Las Vegas, USA. There were about 462 passengers on board including pilot and air crew.
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 Landing Gear Failure While Emergency Landing
The aircraft took circled flight over southern of England for few hours in order to burning and dumping fuel before landing.
There were only three main landing gear able to retract from four landing gear.
This is important since the main landing gear failed to retracted and aircraft should be as light as possible to ensure the safety during emergency landing.
Eventually, the aircraft has safely landed before 4.00 pm local time.
Before the landing, the pilot and crew remain tried to made landing gear work but failed. The air crew made attempt to calm the passengers.
The witness' crew said that the actual landing was one of the smoothest emergency landing ever.
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 During Normal Landing
Gatwick Airport is the busiest single-runway airport in the world, there are about 900 departures and arrivals daily. The incident of Virgin Atlantic makes some heavy delay, cancellation or diverted flights.
No cash compensation for the passengers since this was the extraordinary circumstance but the airlines have to providing meals and overnight accommodation if necessary.