A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration SP-LPC performing flight LO-16 from Newark,NJ (USA) to Warsaw (Poland) with 221 passengers and 10 crew, was on approach to Warsaw's runway 33 when the crew aborted the approach at 3000 feet reporting an unsafe gear indication for all three gear struts at about 13:10L (12:10Z) and entered a holding to troubleshoot the problem for about 80 minutes. Visual verification by fighter aircraft showed none of the gear struts was down, attempts to lower the gear alternatively failed. The aircraft subsequently performed a text book gear up landing on runway 33 at 14:40L (13:40Z), the aircraft was evacuated after stand still. No injuries occurred.
The airport was kept sterile for the arrival of the emergency aircraft, roads around the airport closed to accomodate emergency services. Flights inbound to Warsaw were diverted or returned to their point of departure (e.g. Kiev).
On Wednesday cranes and air cushions were able to lift the aircraft off the runway with the engines remaining attached to the wings, the gear could subsequently be released and the aircraft was towed to a hangar for further assessment of the damage, which after a first check is said to be surprisingly small.
Warsaw's Chopin Airport was closed until Nov 2nd 20:00L (19:00Z), it's website was down due to overload. The airport announced to re-open on Thursday (Nov 3rd) at 04:00L (03:00Z), but as result of recovery of the aircraft during Wednesday (Nov 2nd) was able to resume operation by 20:00L.
The airline reported the aircraft was piloted by Captain Tadeusz Wrona and First Officer Jerzy Szwarc, an experienced crew with the captain having more than 20 years of experience on the Boeings. About 30 minutes after departure from Newark the crew reported the failure of the center hydraulic system. It is unclear why the gear could not be lowered, this is being investigated. The aircraft will be moved to a hangar later today (Nov 1st). The fate of the airframe has not yet been determined, the damage to the structure and engines will be assessed before a decision is being made.
The airport reported the runway received minor damage as result of the landing, the aircraft came to a stop at the intersection between runways 15/33 and 11/29 thus disabling the airport and forcing its closure.
Here is some footage of the landing:
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