SpiceJet aircraft loses wheel during take-off, lands safely

One of the landing gear's wheels of a SpiceJet aircraft with 75 people on board detached as the jet departed from Kandla for its journey to Mumbai on Friday, triggering a full emergency at its destination where it eventually made a safe landing

- Neha LM Tripathi

The wheel that separated was one of two on the right rear landing gear, and it came to light when the Kandla air traffic control spotted an object dropping from the plane immediately after takeoff. Officials confirmed the fallen wheel and metal rings were later recovered from the runway.

“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 official said.

A video shot by one of the passengers shows the crucial moment, with the person recording it heard repeatedly exclaiming in disbelief: “wheel nikal gaya (the wheel has come off)”.