Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia’s largest airline, said it suspended two pilots after a Boeing 767 came within 700 feet (213 meters) of landing in Sydney before they realized the plane’s wheels weren’t lowered.

The airline said it’s begun an investigation into the Oct. 26 incident and the pilots, who were flying from Melbourne, will be interviewed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau later this week.

The pilots “realized that they weren’t properly configured for the approach” and pulled up, Qantas spokesman Simon Rushton said by telephone today, adding they were also alerted by the cockpit warning system. “There was no risk of the aircraft landing without its gear.”

Qantas, which hasn’t had a fatal crash in the jet age, has been beset by incidents in the past year, including a flight in October 2008 that suddenly lost altitude over Western Australia causing injuries and an emergency landing in Manila in July last year after an oxygen tank exploded.

A failure to lower landing gear is “an extremely rare occurrence,” Qantas said in an e-mailed statement today.

“The flight crew knew all required procedures but there was a brief communications breakdown,” the company said. “The incident was reported to the ATSB and the pilots were stood down. We are supporting the ATSB’s investigation and our own investigations will determine what further action might be warranted.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 3, 2009 18:29 EST