The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered budget airline SpiceJet to inspect all operational Q400 aircraft engines within one week. The DGCA said in a statement issued on October 18, that it will take all appropriate measures to prevent untoward incidents.
The DGCA directive comes after a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft coming from Goa made an emergency landing in Hyderabad on October 12 around 11pm after a ‘smoke in cabin’ incident.
After landing safely, passengers disembarked through the emergency exit. According to a DGCA official, one passenger sustained minor injuries while disembarking from the aircraft.
“DGCA is investigating the incident, based on preliminary investigation evidence of engine oil was found in the engine bleed-off valve which had led to the oil entering the aircraft air conditioning system resulting in smoke in the cabin,” said DGCA in a press release.
To make sure that there are no metal or carbon seal components present, the aviation regulator has asked SpiceJet to provide all oil samples to Canada every 15 days. Additionally, it has directed the airline to check all Q400 magnetic chip detectors right away for any metal particles.
A Hyderabad airport official later said there were 86 passengers onboard the SpiceJet aircraft that made an emergency landing on October 12 and due to that, as many as nine flights were diverted that night, as reported by news agency PTI.
SpiceJet has been facing operational and financial headwinds in recent times and it is already under enhanced surveillance by the DGCA.
Due to a number of mishaps affecting SpiceJet's flights, the DGCA ordered SpiceJet to operate no more than 50 percent of the flights permitted in the summer schedule for an eight-week period as of July 27. The limitations were extended last month until October 29.
