This is the moment a wheel fell off a Boeing 737 jet during an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.

Worried airport safety staff at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, had noticed the FlySafair aircraft had a damaged undercarriage on take off on April 21.

After being ordered back, the pilots made a low pass over the runway so engineers could inspect the damage.

They found one of the four rear wheels had been clipped during takeoff and ordered the plane to land.

Video footage of the landing shows the wheel disintegrating as the plane moved down the runway.

The clip shows flight FA212 with smoke billowing from the damaged wheel.

Seconds later there was a bang and parts of the wheel flew off as the undercarriage collapsed sending the jet leaning sideways towards its port (left) wing as it ground to a halt towards the end of the footage.

None of the passengers were injured. They were moved onto another flight.

Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, said after the incident: 'After take-off, ground staff at OR Tambo reported witnessing what appeared to be damage to one of the aircraft back wheels.

'The crew were alerted to the observation and the decision was taken to return to Johannesburg.'

The aircraft then entered a holding pattern to burn off fuel for a safer landing.

Gordon said: 'This is standard procedure there is no urgency to land, as it's safer to land with a lighter fuel load, and modern Boeing 737 aircraft do not have the facility to dump fuel.'

Before landing, the plane made a low pass over the airport so technical teams could visually inspect the landing gear, the airline said.

Gordon added: 'The aircraft passed overhead at approximately 13:20, and observers confirmed that one of the four rear wheels had come adrift during the take-off roll.

'The wheel affected was one of the two attached to the left rear landing strut.

'Response vehicles were activated to greet the plane as a precautionary measure.

'After landing, the aircraft was inspected by safety and engineering teams on the runway before the plane was brought back to the terminal.'

Regional General Manager Jabulani Khambule said: 'We would like to praise the FlySafair pilots and crew for their professional handling of this emergency.

Their training and experience ensured that all passengers on board the plane walked away unscathed.'