A pilot miraculously survived after a plane broke in half during an emergency landing due to landing gear failure. Video footage captured the twin-engine turboprop hitting the runway hard in Poland, causing the front section of the fuselage to sharply dip. The aircraft then bounced and skidded before coming to a stop, with dust and smoke billowing into the air.
The incident occurred around 11am on June 19 when the landing gear failed to deploy during a test flight before the Antidotum Airshow in Leszno. Thankfully, there was no fire outbreak when the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco crash-landed.
Despite sustaining minor injuries, the pilot managed to exit the aircraft on his own and was later confirmed to be in good health by paramedics.
The airshow proceeded as scheduled, although the Aeroklub Leszczyński airfield runway suffered damage, limiting its usability and preventing some aircraft from performing.
Originally developed in the 1960s for counter-insurgency operations and forward air control missions, the OV-10 Bronco saw production of around 360 units between 1965 and 1986. Some of these aircraft are still in service today, with NASA and civilian operators in the United States, while others are on display in museums worldwide.
The Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Poznań reported that three fire service units were present at the scene to secure the area and apply firefighting foam around the aircraft as a precautionary measure against potential fuel leaks or spills following the emergency landing. The situation is now under control, with no threat to individuals at the airfield, and authorities will investigate the incident further.