SpiceJet flight from Patna- to Delhi was bound to make an immediate landing at the Patna airport after its left wing caught fire. All 185 passengers were rescued safely.
A Delhi-bound Spicejet flight was forced to make an immediate landing at the Bihta Airforce Station in Patna after the left wing of the flight caught fire. Reportedly, all 185 passengers are safe. The pilots of the flight suspected that a bird had hit the left engine during the time of take-off, which resulted in sparks from the left engine.
After witnessing the spark, the team of pilots proceeded to an emergency landing. It was the cabin crew who informed the pilots about sparks coming out of the engine. The cabin crew declared PAN-PAN, which means that they have an urgent situation, but for the time being, it does not pose a danger to people’s lives or the aircraft.
Witnesses near the Patna airport reported seeing smoke coming out of the flight’s left engine as it was making its way to Delhi. In a statement, a Spicejet spokesperson said: “ On takeoff, during rotation, the cockpit crew suspected a bird hit on Engine # 1. As a precautionary measure and as per SOP, the Captain shut down the affected engine and decided to return to Patna. The aircraft landed safely in Patna and the passengers were safely deboarded. “Post-flight inspection showed the bird hit with 3 fan blades damaged.”
The aircraft was in the air for nearly 22 minutes before it made an emergency landing at 12.25 pm, two crash-fire tenders and two ambulances were lined up along the runway.
On the condition of anonymity, an official of Patna airport said: “ Bird hits are common around Patna as there is an open abattoir near the airport, which attracts birds. The issue has been raised during several environmental committees meetings with the state government in the past several years but to no avail”
Passengers views
The passengers said they felt tremors inside the plane as soon as it take- off and the lights also turned off.
“We raised alarms. The crew members then told us that an emergency landing was being made,” one of the passengers said.
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