This is the terrifying moment an easyJet plane is forced to abort its landing just seconds away from the runway.

Dramatic footage shows the Airbus A320 battling through a storm approaching Madeira airport as bystanders watch on with bated breath. 

Flight U21869 attempts to touch down, but despite being only metres away from the asphalt, strong winds make the manoeuvre impossible.

The pilot then urgently tries to regain altitude as the aircraft skims the runway, lurching to the right and soaring past the camera.

A video of the frightening failed landing, filmed on March 19, has already been watched more than 300,000 times on YouTube.

Initially, some viewers were so shocked by the clip that they questioned its authenticity.

But observers standing on the airport’s famous ‘spotting’ terrace witnessed the plane perform the go-around before passing directly over the terminal and boarding gates.

Viewers flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts on the clip, with one writing, ‘Wow thats one of the craziest go arounds I have ever seen’, and another adding, ‘That go around was wild!’

‘Never seen anything like it, amazing,’ said a third.

Last year British passengers travelling on an easyJet flight from Corfu to London that was struck by brutal turbulence described their terror as the plane suddenly plummeted, badly injuring two members of the crew.

The British carrier’s Airbus A320, flight EZY8120, departed from Corfu Airport in Greece at 12:44pm local time on August 19 and was bound for London Gatwick with 181 passengers and crew on board.

But just 20 minutes into the flight, the easyJet aircraft was battered by turbulence while cruising at 485mph at an altitude of 28,000ft which violently smashed two members of the cabin crew who were preparing to serve food against the ceiling.  

One received a badly sprained ankle and the other broke her leg, according to witnesses on board, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.

Passenger Sharleigh told MailOnline: ‘I honestly thought we were going to die and have never experienced anything like it in my life.

‘The pilot said we may experience ”mild turbulence”… next thing the plane started ferociously shaking and suddenly just dropped. Everyone was screaming – my friend woke up from her sleep and we just held each other as we thought we were going to die,’ she said.

Another passenger Melanie described the experience as ‘being in free-fall on a rollercoaster’.

‘Literally out of nowhere the plane just plummeted and then must’ve pulled up again – I felt myself pull up and go back down again.

‘I just went into kind of a brace position and just screamed… The whole plane was screaming – my niece was sitting in front of me and she was bawling her eyes out. It was just completely shocking.

‘I’m not a nervous flyer, but I was extremely nervous all the way back after that, I was holding onto the seat in front of me for dear life.’

Passengers and the injured crewmembers were met with easyJet crew, airport staff and paramedics who provided immediate assistance upon their landing in Rome.

‘Both of the crew hit the ceiling of the galley,’ a flight attendant said.

‘One had a badly sprained ankle, one had a broken tibia.’