A SpiceJet Bombardier Q400 aircraft carrying 75 passengers declared a full emergency at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Friday after one of its wheels detached during takeoff from Kandla.
Officials confirmed that the aircraft was already airborne when Kandla air traffic control (ATC) spotted an object dropping from it.
“The Kandla ATC saw something falling down immediately after the flight’s departure. They then told the pilot and sent the ATC jeep to fetch the fallen item,” an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said. “The fallen wheel and metal rings were later recovered from the runway,” he added.
Fire tenders and rescue teams were kept on high alert at Mumbai airport. The flight, however, landed safely at 4 PM. Videos surfaced on social media purportedly capturing the wheel falling off shortly after takeoff.
“Despite the serious mid-air scare, the aircraft taxied to the terminal on its own and passengers disembarked without any untoward incident,” a Mumbai airport official said.
A SpiceJet spokesperson stated, “On September 12, an outer wheel of a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating from Kandla to Mumbai was found at the runway after take-off. The aircraft continued its journey to Mumbai and landed safely. Following a smooth landing, the aircraft taxied to the terminal under its own power, and all passengers disembarked normally.”
“A wheel coming off is a serious incident, but since the wheel assembly has two units, and one was attached (to the aircraft), it saved the day,” a former Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said.
“But if one came out, the other could have come out too,” he added.
A former airline official, requesting anonymity, said,” This is a serious incident, and that’s why the pilot must have decided to land in Mumbai rather than landing back in Kandla. They must have thought that Mumbai has a longer runway, which is better to land in such difficult situations.”
The aircraft has been grounded.
Mumbai airport issues statement
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) confirmed in a statement that a full emergency was declared after it received information about the affected flight.
“An aircraft from Kandla made an emergency landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 15:51 hrs on 12 September 2025 after reporting a technical issue. A full emergency was declared as a precaution,” the statement read.
The aircraft landed safely on Runway 27.
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