A video that appears to show a red pickup truck rescuing a passenger jet whose front landing gear failed to deploy is not footage of a real emergency. It is a 2011 advertisement by carmaker Nissan for its Frontier pickup.
In the clip, an airliner approaches the runway, and at the last moment it becomes clear that its nose gear has not opened. As the plane descends, a red Nissan pickup drives into the frame and speeds alongside it. The jet rests its nose on the truck's cargo bed and touches down safely.
The scene looks like a recording of a rare aviation incident. According to Kikar HaShabbat, the commercial was deliberately shot in the style of an amateur video to make it look authentic, and it combined real footage with special effects.
The marketing goal was clear: to show off the truck's capabilities and send the message that it can handle even tasks that seem impossible.
The ad has fooled many viewers over the years. The clip keeps resurfacing on social media, where it is sometimes presented as a real rescue.
