Tension gripped aviation circles Tuesday as SpiceJet’s Delhi-Leh flight SG121 grappled with a technical fault shortly after departure, circling back to Delhi’s IGI Airport for a precautionary landing. The Boeing 737 touched down without drama, and passengers exited calmly.
SpiceJet officials detailed that the crew identified the problem en route, ruling out any fire risk in the cockpit. Whispers from airport insiders suggest an engine-related glitch, possibly the secondary one, with technicians now probing deeper.
The episode echoes SpiceJet’s recent history of mid-flight challenges. In November last year, Mumbai-Kolkata SG670 endured engine trouble on approach to Kolkata, executing a flawless emergency landing.
September 12 brought another scare: a Q400 from Gujarat’s Kandla to Mumbai landed emergently at CSMIA after a wheel detached on the runway during ascent. No harm came to anyone.
An October Delhi-Patna flight (SG497) also reversed course due to a snag, landing safely and rerouting passengers efficiently.
Amid these events, SpiceJet reaffirms its adherence to stringent safety standards, particularly for demanding routes to high-altitude destinations like Leh. Regulatory scrutiny will likely intensify, pushing for enhanced preventive measures in fleet maintenance.