A U.S.-registered Israeli Aircraft Industries Westwind 1124 on Friday lost the wheel from its left main landing gear during takeoff from Goldson International Airport in Belize. The crew was made aware of the problem immediately after departure, but rather than risk an emergency landing in Belize with a heavy fuel load, they decided a landing in the United States was the better option.
Bizjet Crew Demonstrates a Near-Perfect Emergency Landing
Key Takeaways:
- A U.S.-registered Westwind 1124 lost a wheel from its left main landing gear during takeoff in Belize and opted to fly to a U.S. airport for an emergency landing due to a heavy fuel load.
- The crew diverted to Sarasota Bradenton Airport, circled for nearly an hour to burn off fuel, and made a low pass for air traffic controllers to inspect the damaged landing gear.
- The aircraft successfully executed an emergency landing, touching down on the centerline before the left side dragged and the plane came to a stop in the grass, with no injuries to the four people on board and no post-impact fire.
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