A terrifying moment happened to a crowded passenger jet. Passengers saw the plane’s engine bursts into flames seconds after takeoff.
After the horrific fire, the 185-passenger flight bound for New Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing.
Officials said the commercial flight landed in Patna, eastern India, on Sunday.
“Cockpit crew of Patna-Delhi SpiceJet flight after take-off during rotation suspected bird hit on engine no. 1.
“As a precautionary measure, the flight captain shut down the affected engine and returned to Patna. Post-flight inspection shows bird hit with three fan blades damaged,” said a SpiceJet spokesperson to NDTV media.
“The flight returned to Patna airport after locals (on the ground) noticed a fire on the left wing of the aircraft and informed airport officials,” an official told reporters.
“All 185 passengers were safely deboarded. The reason for the fire is a technical glitch. The engineering team is analysing,” the official added.
Passengers on the domestic flight operated by SpiceJet were safely evacuated after the pilot returned to Patna airport shortly after takeoff.
A passenger told reporters that in the first 15 minutes after takeoff, they heard a barrage of noise coming from the plane’s wing.
“The pilot announced that there was a problem and that we would be returning to Patna…. it was quite scary,” Pacifica, who only gave one name, said.
The plane was hit by a bird, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the left engine was shut down, according to a SpiceJet spokesperson.
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