8th SpiceJet glitch in 18 days; airline gets DGCA show-cause notice
Due to a malfunctioning weather radar, a SpiceJet cargo aircraft returned to Kolkata. According to a SpiceJet spokeswoman, the plane landed safely in Kolkata.This is SpiceJet's eighth technical failure in the preceding 18 days.
FollowIn yet another incident, SpiceJet experienced a technical glitch when the weather radar on one of its flights to China failed. SpiceJet's Boeing 737 freighter (cargo plane) was scheduled to fly from Kolkata to Chongqing on Tuesday, July 5. After takeoff, the weather radar failed, prompting the pilot in command to return to Kolkata. According to a SpiceJet spokeswoman, the plane landed safely in Kolkata. This is at least the eighth mechanical problem on a SpiceJet flight in the previous 18 days.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet for the deterioration of its aircraft's safety margins. The DGCA has identified significant gaps in the airline's operations, ranging from running flights with "degraded safety margins," difficulties indicating "poor internal safety monitoring," and suppliers not being paid on time, resulting in a scarcity of spare parts for the SpiceJet fleet.
After a technical failure, a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Dubai was forced to land in Karachi, Pakistan. According to the airline, the flight was diverted to Karachi owing to an indication issue. According to authorities, the jet, which had roughly 150 passengers on board, began displaying unexpected fuel amount reductions from its left tank while in mid-air, prompting it to be redirected to Karachi. According to a PTI report, a PCCA official stated that the pilot of SpiceJet's Delhi-Dubai flight called the control tower while flying through Pakistan territory, notifying them that the aircraft had experienced some mechanical malfunction.
Also Read | SpiceJet Delhi-Dubai flight lands in Karachi after glitch
In another incident on Tuesday, the outer pane of the cockpit windshield of a SpiceJet Bombardier Q400 aircraft fractured mid-flight, requiring the pilots to perform a priority landing in Mumbai. This was the day's second incident involving a SpiceJet aircraft. SpiceJet aircraft SG3324 from Kandla to Mumbai was at 23,000 feet when the problem happened, according to a Directorate General of Civil Aviation officer (DGCA). The outer right glass of the cockpit window of the VT-SUV fractured. It did not cause pressurisation issues, according to the spokeswoman, and the plane landed safely in Mumbai.
The low-cost carrier has been plagued by technical difficulties, one of which occurred on July 2. After seeing smoke in the cabin at roughly 5,000 feet altitude, the crew of an aircraft bound for Jabalpur returned to Delhi. According to preliminary investigations, there was an oil leak in one of the engines of the Q400 aircraft, which is most likely what caused the smoke in the cabin.
Also Read | Spicejet flight to Jabalpur returns to Delhi after smoke inside cabin
On June 25, a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft halted its take-off roll at Patna airport when the plane's fuselage door warning light illuminated. The alert was discovered to have originated from the luggage door at the back of the aeroplane.
A similar problem occurred on a SpiceJet Q400 flight (Guwahati-Kolkata) the day before the June 25 incident. When it was on 'rotation,' the fuselage warning light illuminated, requiring them to abandon their travels and return. The flight's pilots discovered that the alert was coming from the luggage door in the back of the plane.
Also Read | Delhi-Patna SpiceJet flight forced to land after fire onboard; all passengers safe
On June 19, the airline had two incidents. In the first, an engine of the carrier's Delhi-bound jet carrying 185 people caught fire shortly after takeoff from Patna airport, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing minutes later. The engine failed due to a bird strike.
