A LOT Polish Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration SP-EQG performing flight LO-3924 from Krakow to Warsaw (Poland) with 59 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Krakow when the crew spotted a problem with the nose gear, stopped the climb at FL100 and turned to return to Krakow, but then decided to continue to Warsaw, climbed the aircraft to FL140.

In contact with Warsaw approach the crew indicated they intended a full stop landing on runway 11 right away, no low approach was intended, subsequently on approach to runway 11 the crew indicated they had an unsafe nose gear indication, the gear likely did not extend, an alternate gear extension had already been carried out.

The aircraft positioned for an approach to runway 11, the crew reported they were 100% sure that the “nose wheels did not come out”, they had both main gear but no nose gear, they had checked it twice. The aircraft landed on runway 11 and came to a stop on both main gear and the nose of the aircraft.

There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The runway and airport was closed. The airport reported the aerodrome was closed for estimated 4 hours following an emergency landing by a LOT aircraft. Rescue operations were in progress.

The airline reported the nose gear did not lock, after landing the nose gear collapsed and the nose of the aircraft hit the runway. Poland’s PKBWL have opened an investigation into the occurrence.