“On September 12, an outer wheel of a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating from Kandla to Mumbai was found at the runway after take-off. The aircraft continued its journey to Mumbai and landed safely,” the airline said in a statement.
After the smooth touchdown, the aircraft taxied to the terminal and passengers disembarked without any incident. Sources indicated that an emergency landing was carried out at Mumbai airport as a precaution. A Q400 aircraft is fitted with six tyres. The number of passengers on board was not immediately known.
The incident comes a day after another SpiceJet flight encountered a suspected technical issue. On Thursday, a Boeing 737-8 operating from Delhi to Kathmandu returned to the bay at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a possible tailpipe fire was reported by another aircraft on the ground.
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“On September 11, 2025, a SpiceJet aircraft scheduled to operate from Delhi to Kathmandu returned to bay after another aircraft on the ground reported a suspected tailpipe fire. No warnings or indications were observed in the cockpit, but the pilots decided to return as a precautionary safety measure,” the airline told PTI.
The flight later underwent engineering inspections, which revealed no abnormalities, and subsequently departed for Kathmandu. The aircraft landed safely in Nepal around 5.10 pm after a delay of nearly seven hours.
A tailpipe fire, also known as an internal fire, typically occurs within the gas flow path of a jet engine, usually during start-up or shutdown while the aircraft is on the ground, according to aviation safety portal SKYbrary.
Also read | Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight returns to Pune shortly after take-off
The incidents come at a time when SpiceJet is grappling with operational and financial challenges. The carrier, which reported a net loss of ₹238 crore for the June quarter compared with a ₹150 crore profit a year earlier, has been operating a reduced fleet. Out of 56 aircraft, only 21 were flying by the end of June, with the rest grounded due to technical or financial issues.
The airline said it plans to bring at least 10 aircraft back into service by April 2026, including four to five expected to rejoin operations ahead of the winter travel season. Maintenance and repair slots have already been secured, with 19 engines dispatched to overhaul facilities worldwide, covering Boeing 737 NG, Boeing 737 MAX, and Q400 aircraft.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
First Published: Sept 12, 2025 6:56 PM IST
