Ocean belly landing: Will an airliner survive the plunge?
This question, although answered before, still arouses some interest on whether an airliner can survive a belly landing on the ocean.
First, let’s us clarify this concept: a belly landing occurs when an aircraft lands without extending its landing gear, relying on its underside for the initial impact – a scenario akin to a duck making a water landing.
Typically, this is the recommended procedure in an emergency water landing, for to touch down with the gears extended would cause the plane to violently twist, tumble or break apart.
A notable instance of a successful belly landing in fairly calm waters was the A320 incident on the Hudson River in 2009, skillfully executed by Captain Sully. Despite the aircraft’s ability to float for a significant period, the crew couldn’t select the ditching switch in time to seal off openings and prevent water from entering into the cabin. Even if engaged, the severity of the damage would likely have compromised the ditching valve’s effectiveness.
During this incident, the section of the aircraft that first made contact with the water suffered some damage due to a rupture, permitting water to flow in. Thankfully, the buoyancy was maintained for a while, partly due to the not fully filled fuel tanks.
On solid ground, a properly executed belly landing is generally safe for the aircraft. This was observed in the LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767 in 2011, which successfully made a belly landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport after the landing gear failed to extend. However, the substantial damage incurred resulted in the aircraft being written off.
I have personally made a belly landing safely on water with both engines failed in an Airbus A330, but this was carried out in a flight simulator to demonstrate that it was doable.
However, the potential for success in real-world scenarios pose additional challenges. Adverse conditions, such as large ocean waves or poor visibility, can affect the success of the water landing.
In an uncontrolled plunge into the ocean, the consequences can be catastrophic due to the high-speed impact which is comparable to hitting a brick wall. At such velocities, engines located below the wings may be ripped off, and the wings and fuselage’s underside can sustain extensive damage.
Conversely, a controlled belly landing at a lower speed and parallel to the waves increases the likelihood of the aircraft remaining afloat for a longer period.
On 23 November 1996, a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines B767 ditched in the Indian Ocean where 125 of the 175 passengers and crew on board, including the three hijackers died. This was the first recorded instance of a partially successful ditching on a widebody aircraft.
While the success of a belly landing in the ocean depends on pilot skill and execution, predicting how long an aircraft would stay afloat in rough seas before passenger evacuation remains challenging.
See YouTube video on Emergency Belly landing
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7TDXd4t_v4
Watch YouTube video on Boeing 767 Crash Lands into the Ocean | Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCx5Uzfrb4o
Watch a video on Remembering Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961