Japan ANA plane lands without nose gear

TOKYO, Mar 13 (Reuters) An All Nippon Airways (ANA) plane carrying 56 passengers and four crew landed at Kochi Airport in southern Japan today after its nose gear failed to descend, live TV footage showed.

The plane landed on its rear wheels and progressed down the runway, public broadcaster NHK showed.

Then its nose touched down and some sparks flew, and fire trucks sprayed the plane with water.

Ambulances were also standing by at the airport, where the plane had been circling for more than an hour to use up its fuel before landing.

Earlier, the TV footage showed the plane almost touching the runway in an apparent attempt to land before flying upward again.

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