10 Oct 2018

Air Force training plane gear fault forces belly-landing

5:45 am on 10 October 2018

An Air Force training plane last night had to belly-land at Ohakea base, near Palmerston North.

T-6C Texan II.

T-6C Texan II. (File photo) Photo: Supplied.

The Texan T-6C plane was on night flying training when the crew noticed a landing gear fault this evening.

A Defence Force statement said the two crew onboard landed the plane with the wheels up and evacuated without injury.

An investigation is underway into the incident.

Last week, RNZ revealed the Texan training planes are being upgraded with new components on the evacuation seat system because the expiry date is much earlier than first thought.