belly land
/ˈbɛliˌlænd/
noun
- An instance of landing an aircraft without landing gear, on the underside of the plane.
- The belly-land was rough, but everyone walked away from the accident.
- The news report showed footage of the successful belly-land on the frozen lake.
- After the belly-land, the fire crew rushed to the runway to check for fuel leaks.
verb
- To land an aircraft without using the landing gear, so that the bottom of the plane touches the ground.
- In the emergency drill, the trainee learned how to belly-land safely on water.
- The small aircraft belly-landed on the runway, causing sparks but no injuries.
- The pilot had to belly-land the plane on a grassy field after the wheels failed to deploy.
Synonyms