United States Marine Corps Pilot Safely Lands an AV-8B Harrier Jet With Damaged Landing Gear on a Ship

United States Marine Corps Captain William Mahoney managed to safely land an AV-8B Harrier on the USS Bataan after the jet’s front landing gear malfunctioned. Helped along by a fellow pilot in the control tower, Captain Mahoney landed the nose on a device designed precisely for this situation, which he refers to as a “sort-of stool.” The video of the event shows the jet’s front bouncing several times after coming in contact with the object.

I had to sit there for a minute and remember how to shut the jet off and everything. I was a pretty big relief. I didn’t realize how much I was shaking until I got out of the aircraft.

Brian Heater
Brian Heater