SpiceJet Aircraft’s Windshield Cracks Mid-Air, Flight Makes Priority Landing in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A SpiceJet Q400 aircraft, operating SG 3324, from Gujarat’s Kandla, conducted a priority landing in Mumbai on Tuesday, 5 July, after a windshield cracked mid-air, the airline said in a press statement.

“Pressurization was observed to be normal. The aircraft landed safely in Mumbai,” the SpiceJet spokesperson said.

A Q400 plane of SpiceJet on Tuesday conducted a priority landing at the Mumbai airport after its windshield cracked at 23,000 feet altitude, according to officials of the aviation regulator DGCA.

This is at least the seventh incident of technical malfunction happening on SpiceJet aircraft in the last 17 days. Earlier in the day, SpiceJet’s Delhi-Dubai flight was diverted to Karachi as the fuel indicator started malfunctioning.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the two incidents which took place on Tuesday, along with the previous five incidents, the officials noted.

Officials said the Kandla-Mumbai flight of SpiceJet was at 23,000 feet altitude when the windshield’s outer pane cracked. The pilots then conducted priority landing at the Mumbai airport, they said.

Reacting on the latest incident, SpiceJet said, ”On 5th July, 2022, SpiceJet Q400 aircraft was operating SG 3324 (Kandla – Mumbai). During cruise at FL230, P2 side windshield outer pane cracked. Pressurization was observed to be normal. The aircraft landed safely in Mumbai.”