A pilot miraculously survived after a plane broke in half during an emergency landing due to landing gear failure in Poland. Video footage captured the twin-engine turboprop hitting the runway hard, causing the front part of the fuselage to sharply dip before bouncing and skidding to a stop, kicking up dust and smoke.
The incident occurred around 11 am on June 19 during a test flight before the Antidotum Airshow in Leszno when the landing gear failed to deploy. Fortunately, there was no fire after the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco crash-landed.
Despite sustaining minor injuries, the pilot managed to exit the aircraft on his own and was later confirmed to be in good condition by paramedics. The airshow proceeded as scheduled, although damage to the Aeroklub Leszczyński airfield runway limited some aircraft performances.
The OV-10 Bronco, developed in the 1960s for counter-insurgency and forward air control missions, had around 360 units produced between 1965 and 1986. A few are still in service, including with NASA and civilian operators in the U.S., while others are on display in museums worldwide.
The Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Poznań reported that three fire service units responded to the scene, securing the area and applying firefighting foam around the aircraft preventively to minimize the risk of fire from fuel leaks. The situation is now under control, with no threat to individuals at the airfield, and authorities will investigate the incident further.