Delhi-bound flight catches fire soon after take off from Patna airport

The Spicejet aircraft took off at around 12.10 p.m. on June 19, and according to residents of localities adjacent to the airport, it caught fire immediately

Passengers come out of the Delhi-bound SpiceJet airplane following its emergency landing after it caught fire mid-air, at Jai Prakash Narayan airport, in Patna, on June 19. | Photo Credit: PTI

A Delhi-bound flight caught fire soon after taking off on June 19 from Patna airport where it made an emergency landing after hovering for several minutes in the air, an official said.

The Spicejet aircraft took off at around 12.10 p.m., and according to residents of localities adjacent to the airport, who claimed to have witnessed the spectacle, it caught fire immediately.

As a precautionary measure and as per SOP, Captain shutdown the affected engine and decided to return to Patna. The aircraft landed safely in Patna and passengers were safely deboarded. Post flight inspection showed bird hit with 3 fan blades damaged. <<

— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) June 19, 2022

“None of the passengers have been hurt. Their journey to Delhi is being arranged by an alternative aircraft. What caused the fire is a matter of investigation,” an official told reporters.

Passengers, who had a close shave, said they felt tremors inside the plane soon after the take off and the lights started turning off.

“We raised an alarm. The crew members asked us to keep calm and that an emergency landing was being made,” they said.

Fire engines were deployed at the airstrip where the emergency landing was made though the flames had, by then, come under control.