[brainless]

I think the difference in these sentences is about the way to land. In sentence 1, the pilot of the aircraft is in control. In sentence 2, the pilots are not in control, the enemy forced them to land (whatever the means).

If I read these two sentences in context of some news, they would evoke very different "landing" scenes in my head.

[mohaine]

#2 is the same as landing a fish. i.e. to place on land what doesn't belong on land.