Watch NATO Airbus A330-243 emergency landing with a dangling refuelling hose

A NATO Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Eindhoven Airport on Thursday afternoon after experiencing a malfunction with one of its refueling hoses. The incident occurred shortly after 1:30 PM local time, when the aircraft — part of the NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) — was returning from an aerial refueling mission over the northern Netherlands. According to flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange, the crew reported a problem with the refueling hose, which had apparently failed to retract properly.

Accident Facts

Video footage captured by an aircraft spotter at Eindhoven Airport shows the tanker descending for a landing with its refueling hose still trailing behind it — a rare and potentially hazardous situation for such missions. The crew proceeded with a cautious approach and landed the aircraft safely without any injuries or damage to the runway reported. The MRTT, a modified Airbus A330 designed for both transport and mid-air refueling, plays a critical role in NATO's airborne operations.

The Multinational MRTT Fleet is operated jointly by several NATO member states, including the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway. Officials have yet to release further details about the cause of the malfunction. Maintenance crews and investigators are expected to inspect the aircraft and refueling system to determine what went wrong