Johannesburg - A plane was forced to land on its belly after its landing gear malfunctioned, said Tshwane officials.

Tshwane metro council spokesperson Pieter de Necker said the 12-seater plane was approaching Wonderboom Airport when a wheel reportedly failed to come down.

The runway was sprayed with foam and emergency services were on standby. The plane circled the airport burning excess fuel before conducting a hard landing around 19:15.

The plane came to rest where the airport's two runways cross. Two pilots and a crew member were on board at the time. No one was injured.

The airport may possibly be closed for most of Thursday morning, said De Necker.

The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the incident.

Link