Pilot lands plane safely at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on one landing gear

MANILA, Philippines -- A pilot made an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Thursday afternoon, safely guiding his plane down on only one landing gear.

The twin-engine C45 cargo aircraft, operated by CFA Aero Services, had just taken off for a “fish run” to Palawan when ground control advised Captain Roy Rala that its right landing gear had detached as soon as the plane was airborne.

After getting clearance from the control tower to make an emergency landing, Rala guided the plane to Runway 13/31, touching down at 2:19 p.m.

Rala steered the plane to the left to compensate for the missing right landing gear. The aircraft skidded briefly but suffered little damage.

Rala and his co-pilot, Earl Macasi, were to pick up a cargo of fish from the Francisco Reyes Airport in Busuanga, Palawan when they were informed of the detached landing gear around 1:35 p.m.

The incident caused minimal air traffic congestion as emergency crews quickly towed the plane from the runway.

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