Passengers on board Malaysian Airlines (MAS) Flight MH192 faced a four-hour terror ride after the landing gear malfunctioned shortly after take-off.

This forced a turn back and several attempts at an emergency landing and several fly-bys over Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

At 2am, the plane successfully made an emergency landing. There were 166 people on board.

Flight MH192 departed at 10.09pm for the city of Bangalore in South India last night. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was supposed to have arrived at 2.35am (Malaysian time) today.

In a press release after the plane had landed back at KLIA, MAS said the tyre of the right landing gear had burst during take-off.

"The captain was alerted by the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control that tyre debris were found on the runway and Malaysia Airlines Operations Control Centre (OCC) was immediately contacted, at 10.25pm.

"As safety is of utmost priority to Malaysia Airlines, the aircraft was required to turn back to KLIA," MAS said.

Accommodation for all passengers has been arranged in nearby hotels.

Flight MH192 will be retimed to depart KLIA at 3.30pm today and arrive Bangalore at 5pm the same day (8pm Malaysian time).

Earlier, some Malaysians were anxiously tuning in to aircraft tracking service FlightRadar24 and the live-stream of the air traffic control (ATC) radio conversation on the website LiveATC.net

 

According to FlightRadar24 , Flight MH192 then flew to just off the coast of Port Klang and began to fly in circles.

Not capable of mid-air fuel dumping

 
According to Boeing’s specifications, the 737-800 is not capable of dumping fuel in mid-air, meaning that it would have to burn off its fuel until the aircraft reaches an acceptable weight for a safe landing.
 
About 30 minutes later, it started to fly towards Port Dickson, and then turned to make an approach to the KLIA runway, but only ended up making a low pass over it for a visual check of its landing gear.
 
MH192 then went back to the vicinity of Port Klang and began to fly in circles again from about 11.25pm until 1.22am the next morning.

“Malaysian 192. According to one pilot and one engineer, your right main gear is not positioned correctly,” ATC told the pilots while the aircraft was still circling.

 

“Yeah, okay. Thanks!” the pilot replied, then continue to circle for hours before attempting a second approach on the runway but took off again without landing.

 

"Malaysian 192, can you confirm to land or another flight path?" the ATC tower radioed.
 
"Err… Turn left, turn left, turn left. Low," MH192 replied.
 
"Malaysian 192, roger that."

'Mayday, mayday, mayday'

 
As the aircraft made its series of left turns that would take it near Port Dickson for the third landing approach, MH192 radioed to check on preparations for a potential emergency.
 
ATC: Malaysian 192, we have just received a message. They are already foaming the runway for you.
 
MH192: How long do they need?
 
ATC: We'll advise.
 
MH192: All right, understood. Now it is mayday, mayday, mayday. We are landing (with) low fuel.
 
ATC: Malaysian 192, roger mayday."
 
The pilot sounded calm and composed - almost expressionless - even as he made the Mayday call.

Two minutes later, Flight MH192 began a slow left turn and then made its final, successful, landing approach.

 
"Malaysia Airlines Flight MH192 that made an air turn-back towards KLIA has landed safely at 1:56am. Alhamdulillah (thank God)," MAS tweeted on its Twitter account.

(Putting a layer of fire-suppressant foam on the runway is a common form of preparation ahead of some types of emergency landings, particularly so-called 'belly landings' where landing gear is not used.

(However, the New Straits Times quoted Banting Fire and Rescue Department officer Malik Hamdan as saying that no foam was sprayed, since only one of the landing gears had malfunctioned. The report also said the aircraft managed to land normally.)