Delhi-Kathmandu SpiceJet Flight Grounded After Tailpipe Fire; Airline Issues Statement

On Thursday, a SpiceJet flight en route to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, faced a harrowing incident while taxiing at Delhi Airport. Reportedly, the aircraft experienced a tailpipe fire, prompting authorities to return the plane to the bay. Here’s what happened.

SpiceJet Delhi-Kathmandu Flight Faces Tailpipe Fire

As per a report by The Economic Times, the SpiceJet flight, operated with a Boeing 737-8 aircraft, was scheduled to depart from Delhi to Kathmandu on Thursday morning. However, it faced a tailpipe fire before takeoff. Authorities acted quickly, and the aircraft was brought back to the bay as a precaution.

The flight, initially delayed by more than four hours, showed no warnings or alerts in the cockpit. Reportedly, the fire was noticed by another aircraft. The pilots decided to return as a precautionary measure after noticing the issue. SpiceJet confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft returned safely and no abnormalities were found during checks carried out afterwards. The aircraft was then cleared for operations and departed shortly after. Details about the number of passengers are yet to be shared.

Also Read: SpiceJet Passenger Finds Metal Shards In Soft Drink Can; Gets Hospitalised After Landing

What Is A Tailpipe Fire? 

For those unfamiliar, a tailpipe is the exhaust pipe of an aircraft engine. Fires can occur during ground engine start or shutdown due to excess fuel igniting in the combustion chamber. Tailpipe fires are generally not detected by the aircraft’s engine fire warning systems, which may explain why the pilots noticed no alert in the cockpit. Such fires are usually identified through visual signs, like flames or smoke from the exhaust, and can potentially damage the aircraft’s flaps.

Not only that, another SpiceJet flight was interrupted on Thursday. As per a report by The Times of India, more than 100 passengers on a Kathmandu-bound flight faced a major inconvenience at Delhi airport on Thursday morning. The passengers were asked to deplane due to a non-functional air conditioning system. The flight scheduled to depart at 8:10 am was delayed until 9:30 am.

Also Read: SpiceJet Becomes 1st Airline In India To Introduce WhatsApp Boarding Passes At Shillong Airport

Further details on the incident are now awaited by the authorities. 

Cover Image Courtesy: SpiceJet, Wikipedia/ Md Shaifuzzaman Ayon (Representative Image)