While undergoing engine maintenance, a SpiceJet aircraft caught fire at the Delhi airport. According to a statement from the airline, the maintenance workers are secure, according to news agency ANI. The engineers discovered a fire on one of the engines while working on an airline’s ATR aircraft. In order to put out the fire, the fire department was called. A flyer in an airplane on the taxiway managed to capture the raging flames on camera. The distant airplane in the video was seen to be spewing out a lot of smoke.
The incident happened on the day that SpiceJet was removed from the heightened surveillance program that had been put in place after major safety concerns about the airline were raised by the nation’s aviation regulator, the DGCA.
The DGCA announced its decision to remove SpiceJet from the surveillance regime earlier today. It stated: “SpiceJet was placed under enhanced surveillance by the DGCA in light of the observations made in the past regarding inadequate maintenance and in light of the incidents during the monsoon season last year. As a result, 51 spot checks on the Boeing 737 and Bombardier DHC Q-400 fleet of aircraft were carried out at 11 locations around India, during which time 23 aircraft were inspected and 95 observations were made by the DGCA teams.
“The DGCA did not deem the findings to be significant because they were of a regular nature. The airline responded to the findings in accordance with DGCA norms and took appropriate maintenance action. SpiceJet has been removed from the enhanced surveillance regime as a result,” it continued. The regulator is right now looking into the fire.
