Flights diverted to Bay of Plenty after crash landing in Hamilton

A light aircraft sits nose down on the runway at Hamilton Airport after an emergency landing without the front landing gear. Photo / Dean Taylor

Two flights were diverted to the Bay of Plenty after a crash landing at Hamilton Airport today.

Police had confirmed a small aircraft had landed safely after having trouble with its landing gear.

An AirNZ spokeswoman confirmed a flight from Wellington was diverted to Tauranga and another from Christchurch was diverted to Rotorua as a result of the incident at Hamilton Airport.

Emergency services are quickly on the scene. Photo / Dean Taylor

A Cambridge man has posted to the social media platform saying he had been on an "awesome" flight from Christchurch that had then had to circle the Waikato, waiting to land before being diverted to Rotorua.

"Plane before us had landing gear issue, Hamilton airport closed," he wrote.
Fire crews had earlier rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a light aircraft with landing gear problems.

Airport chief executive Mark Morgan confirmed to the Herald that a plane had been circling near the airport with reports of landing gear trouble.

The light-aircraft touches down onto the runway without the front landing gear. Photo / Dean Taylor

"The control tower is working with the pilot to determine the procedure and landing from here," he said before the safe landing.

Air NZ had cancelled two flights this morning due to arrive in Hamilton Airport, including a flight from Christchurch due to land at 10.25am and a Wellington flight due to land at 10.55am, according to the airport's website.

Two flights from Christchurch and Wellington are set to land this afternoon but had been delayed.