Citation II with stuck landing gear lands safely at Van Nuys

Photo Courtesy of De Jeroen Stroes

Sparks flew Tuesday night when a Cessna Citation II with stuck landing gear landed safely on the runway at Van Nuys (VNY). The small corporate jet slid to a halt without any major damage or injury.

Van Nuys Airport tweeted that the Citation II landed without its nose gear down. The pilot had called air traffic control when the nose gear would not come down for landing, alerting them of the situation. The tower radioed the pilot, alerting them that the door appeared partially open, but no landing gear was down.

The pilot declared an emergency, stating two people were on board and one hour of fuel left. He circled the airport for 10 to 15 minutes to burn fuel, lightening the load and exhausting all resources before choosing to attempt a landing.

Video: ABC7.com

The pilot landed the plane smoothly, greeted by rescue crews. Both men on board the plane were safe and the pilot gave two thumbs up to the rescuers after the successful landing.

The plane was registered to Golden State Jet in Van Nuys. It was a 1986 Cessna S550 fixed-wing multi-engine, with eight seats. According to ABC7, the aircraft remained steady while landing and did not swerve or divert from the runway.

The pilot successfully maneuvered the plane safely down the runway in an emergency situation, putting his skills and training to the test.