SpiceJet flights face glitches, again; invites probe from DCGA

Two SpiceJet flights ran into operational glitches on Tuesday, the latest in a long line of incidents that have now invited a probe from India's aviation regulator. SpiceJet's Delhi-Dubai flight SG-11 made an emergency landing at Karachi after the fuel indicator malfunctioned.

On another aircraft, flying from Kandla in Gujarat, the windshield cracked forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Mumbai. An official at India's aviation regulator said the incidents will be probed as will be the other five instances of mid-air operational glitches on the low fare carrier's flights in less than three weeks.

The landing in Karachi was allowed on "humanitarian grounds", according to a global media report. "During flight, the crew observed unusual fuel quantity reduction from the left tank. Relevant non-normal checklist actions were carried out, however fuel quantity kept on decreasing," according to SpiceJet's incident report shared with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).


According to an audio recording of a conversation between SpiceJet's pilot and the Karachi air traffic controller posted on Twitter, there was suspected fuel leakage. SpiceJet told the DGCA that no fuel leakage was found.

"No inflight engine shutdown was carried out; as a result no emergency was declared. During post-flight inspection, no visual leak has been observed from the left main tank," the report shared with the DGCA said. On June 19, a Patna-Delhi flight of the airline landed back in Patna after the engine caught fire.