WATCH: Pilot's low-flying stunt with 200 people on board
A risky manoeuvre performed by an Air Berlin pilot during the airline's last long-haul flight has been suspended pending investigation by a German aviation authority.
Footage of the fly-past shows the plane appearing to make a landing attempt at Dusseldorf Airport, before regaining speed and altitude, then making a sharp left to "show its wings".
The pilot is being investigated by aviation authorities for the "honour lap" stunt on flight AB7001 from Miami to Dusseldorf, according to The Sun.
About 200 people were reportedly onboard the plane, which eventually landed on Monday morning, while worried onlookers feared it would crash.
The pilot under investigation reportedly received clearance from air traffic control to steer the plane dangerously close to the terminal.
The stunt was attempted to mark the now insolvent airline's final transatlantic flight.
In one video, a woman can be heard asking in German "What is it doing?" as the plane approaches the terminal building, while people on the outside scream out in fear.
However, another video of the landing taken from the airport's control tower shows the risky move was actually an orchestrated flight path, despite airport employees fearing it would crash, The Sun reported.
"It was a strange feeling when the A330 came right at us, as we did not know before that it would do a honorary lap," one airport worker said.
People in the tower can be heard clapping when the aircraft arrives, and the captain explains, in German, that Air Berlin will "cease its long-distance flights tomorrow".
The captain thanked the traffic controllers for the many years they worked together.
An unidentified Air Berlin pilot was quoted as saying to a German Broadcaster ZDF: "We wanted to make a mark, a dignified and emotional goodbye."
An Air Berlin representative said the airline was aware of the agreement between the pilot and traffic control, adding that "Air Berlin fully supports the (Federal aviation office) LBA in its work," the company said.
