belly landing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “belly landing” mean?
A type of emergency aircraft landing where the aircraft lands without its landing gear extended, causing its underside (the belly) to contact the ground.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of emergency aircraft landing where the aircraft lands without its landing gear extended, causing its underside (the belly) to contact the ground.
By extension, can describe a risky or rough landing of any object or situation that skids or drags along a surface without proper support.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. Both varieties use the term identically.
Connotations
Identical technical and emergency connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialized in both varieties, confined to aviation contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “belly landing” in a Sentence
The [AIRCRAFT] made a belly landing.The pilot was forced to perform a belly landing on [SURFACE].A belly landing was executed after the [FAILURE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “belly landing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pilot was forced to belly-land the stricken aircraft on the grass field.
- Training simulators practice how to belly-land safely.
American English
- The crew had to belly-land the jet after a hydraulic failure.
- He successfully belly-landed the vintage plane.
adverb
British English
- [Standard adverbial use is extremely rare and informal, e.g., 'The plane came in belly-landing style.']
American English
- [Standard adverbial use is extremely rare and informal, e.g., 'It touched down almost belly-landing.']
adjective
British English
- The belly-landing procedure was executed flawlessly.
- Investigators examined the belly-landing incident.
American English
- The belly-landing scenario is a critical part of flight training.
- They reviewed the belly-landing drill.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; only in aviation insurance, accident reports, or airline crisis management.
Academic
Used in aerospace engineering, aviation safety studies, and historical analyses of air incidents.
Everyday
Very rare; only in news reports about plane emergencies.
Technical
Standard term in aviation manuals, pilot training, air traffic control discourse, and accident investigation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “belly landing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “belly landing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “belly landing”
- Using 'belly landing' to describe any rough or hard landing (it requires gear to be up).
- Spelling as 'bellylanding' (should be two words or hyphenated: belly-landing).
- Using it as a verb without a supporting verb (e.g., 'The plane belly landed' is informal; 'made a belly landing' is standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. While a belly landing is an emergency procedure, it can be controlled and survivable. A crash implies a total loss of control and much greater destruction.
It is never a normal procedure, but it is an intentional pilot action taken as the safest option in an emergency (e.g., gear failure). The intent is to land as safely as possible under the circumstances.
A belly landing occurs on solid ground (or an airstrip) with the gear up. 'Ditching' specifically refers to a controlled emergency landing on water.
Yes, extensively in simulators. Pilots are trained in the specific procedures, speeds, and techniques to maximize the chances of a successful belly landing and safe evacuation.
A type of emergency aircraft landing where the aircraft lands without its landing gear extended, causing its underside (the belly) to contact the ground.
Belly landing is usually technical, journalistic in register.
Belly landing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbeli ˌlændɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɛli ˌlændɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not idiomatic; the term itself is a technical compound noun.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a huge metal BELLY (the underside of a plane) scraping along the LANDING strip because its legs (gear) are asleep.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE AIRCRAFT IS A CREATURE: The plane's 'belly' (underside) is like an animal's belly sliding to a stop.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining characteristic of a belly landing?