Plane circles Belfast to burn fuel, makes emergency landing

A passenger plane carrying more than 50 people made an emergency landing without its nose gear at Belfast International in Northern Ireland Friday, after circling for 2 hours to burn fuel. The Bombardier Q-400 operated by Flybe took off from Belfast City Airport for Inverness, Scotland, Friday before being diverted. Images on social media showed the aircraft tipped forward onto its nose with fire trucks nearby. The airline said the plane was carrying 53 passengers, including an infant, and 4 crew members. One passenger was treated in a local hospital for a minor hand injury. No one else was hurt. Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association, said landing without nose gear is "a very difficult manoeuvre." <br/>