SpiceJet Aircraft Fire Incident and DGCA's Enhanced Surveillance Decision

A SpiceJet plane caught fire at Delhi airport while it was undergoing maintenance on its engine. Thankfully, the maintenance personnel were not harmed, as reported by the news agency ANI.During the routine maintenance of an ATR aircraft belonging to SpiceJet, the engineers noticed a fire on one of its engines. In response, the airport's fire brigade was immediately called to extinguish the flames.

A passenger on another aircraft, which was on the taxiway, captured the incident on video. The footage showed thick smoke coming from the SpiceJet plane, which was parked at some distance away. Interestingly, the incident occurred on the same day when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country's aviation regulator, removed SpiceJet from the enhanced surveillance regime. This regime was imposed on the airline due to serious safety concerns in the past.

The DGCA had expressed concerns about inadequate maintenance practices and incidents that occurred during the previous monsoon season. To address these concerns, the DGCA had been closely monitoring SpiceJet's operations with 51 spot checks across 11 locations in India. During these checks, 23 aircraft, including Boeing 737 and Bombardier DHC Q-400, were inspected, and 95 observations were made by the DGCA teams.

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However, the DGCA clarified that these findings were routine and not considered significant. In accordance with DGCA guidelines, SpiceJet promptly took appropriate maintenance measures to address the observations. As a result, the airline has now been taken off the enhanced surveillance regime.

Guidelines issued by the DCGA

This move indicates that the DGCA is satisfied with the corrective actions taken by SpiceJet to rectify the maintenance issues. It means that the airline will no longer be under such intense scrutiny by the regulatory authority.

It is essential for airlines to adhere to strict safety standards and maintain their aircraft appropriately to ensure the well-being of passengers and crew. Any safety concerns are thoroughly investigated by the aviation authorities, and airlines are required to take necessary actions to rectify any issues promptly.

SpiceJet's recent incident of the aircraft catching fire during maintenance is undoubtedly a concerning event. However, it is essential to remember that the maintenance personnel are safe, and the airline is likely to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

The aviation industry is committed to continuously improving safety measures and learning from past incidents to prevent future occurrences. Passengers can have confidence that authorities are actively monitoring airlines' safety practices to ensure a safe and smooth travel experience.