Information from Contact Air shows that the Fokker 100 which suffered a gear-up landing at Stuttgart today had undergone a C-check just a month ago.

The aircraft had accumulated 31,465 flight hours and performed 33,541 cycles.

Contact Air had only taken delivery of the 14-year old jet in the last couple of weeks. It had previously been in service with China's Mandarin Airlines and Brazilian carrier TAM.

It underwent a C-check on 5 August, says the carrier.

The jet had departed Berlin Tegel at 08:44. It had been scheduled to arrive at 09:40 but the aircraft did not touch down until 10:49.

German publication Bild has been carrying video images capturing the landing and the first few moments of the emergency response.

Contact Air says the aircraft's main landing-gear had only partially deployed. A spokeswoman for the airline says it is unclear whether the problem affected one or both main-gear assemblies.

The carrier says the flight had three cockpit crew: a captain with 17,443hr, a co-pilot with 2,309hr and - because the Fokker was operating a crew training flight - a third pilot with 2,605hr was on board. The jet had five crew in total and 73 passengers.

Passengers were evacuated via the slides with only one or two minor injuries among them, although a flight attendant was taken to hospital for observation.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news