A LIGHT aircraft made an emergency landing at Newcastle Airport today - causing disruption to other flights.

The pilot, who was flying alone, was forced to land the Aero Commander single-engine plane after reporting a mechanical fault.

The four-seater aircraft landed safely at the airport at around 12.30pm but was blown off the runway on to grass by the wind.

The pilot escaped uninjured but the emergency landing caused disruption to other flights, a spokeswoman for Newcastle International Airport said.

"Two inbound flights have been diverted to Edinburgh and Durham Tees Valley respectively," she said.

"Outbound flights are delayed by around 40 minutes and we are advising passengers of this."