Mid-air scare: Mumbai airport declares emergency after SpiceJet wheel detaches during takeoff

A SpiceJet flight from Kandla to Mumbai lost a wheel during take-off at Kandla Airport in Gujarat on Friday. A passenger captured a video showing the wheel detaching from the Q400 turboprop aircraft just as it was about to lift off, repeatedly saying, “The wheel has fallen.”

The airline confirmed that the outer wheel was recovered from the runway. Despite the incident, the plane made an emergency landing in Mumbai at 3:51 pm, with a temporary emergency declared as a precaution.

“The aircraft continued its journey to Mumbai and landed safely. Following a smooth landing, it taxied to the terminal under its own power, and all passengers disembarked normally,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.

A spokesperson from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) added:

“An aircraft from Kandla made an emergency landing at CSMIA at 15:51 hrs on 12 September 2025 after reporting a technical issue. A full emergency was declared as a precaution. All passengers and crew are safe, and normal operations resumed shortly after.”

Incident follows tailpipe fire at Delhi Airport

The incident occurred a day after another SpiceJet flight suffered a suspected tailpipe fire at Delhi Airport. Flight SG041, a Boeing 737-8, took off from Delhi around 3 pm and landed in Kathmandu at 5:10 pm after a nearly seven-hour delay, according to news agency PTI.

“On 11 September 2025, a SpiceJet aircraft scheduled to operate from Delhi to Kathmandu returned to bay after another aircraft on the ground reported a suspected tailpipe fire. No warnings or indications were observed in the cockpit, but the pilots decided to return as a precautionary safety measure,” the airline told PTI.

ATC confirms object fell from plane

Kandla Air Traffic Control (ATC) observed an object falling from the aircraft after take-off. An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official told HT:

“The Kandla ATC saw something falling immediately after the flight’s departure. They informed the pilot and retrieved the fallen wheel and metal rings from the runway.”

Mumbai airport authorities had rescue teams and fire services on standby. The flight landed safely at 4 pm.

Expert insights on wheel detachment

A former Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told HT:

“A wheel coming off is serious, but since the wheel assembly has two units and one remained attached, it prevented a major accident. If one had come out, the other could have too.”

According to PTI, a Q400 aircraft has six tyres. A former airline official added:

“This is a serious incident. The pilot likely chose to land in Mumbai rather than return to Kandla, as Mumbai’s longer runway offers safer conditions in such situations.”