SpiceJet Delhi-Nashik flight returns due to autopilot system malfunction
In July, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had ordered SpiceJet to operate 50% of its flights after several incidents of technical malfunction.
A SpiceJet flight that took off from Delhi on Thursday morning returned midway to the national capital due to an autopilot snag, reported PTI, citing a Directorate General of Civil Aviation official.
The Boeing 737 heading to Nashik made a safe landing following the malfunction, said SpiceJet.
In recent months, SpiceJet aircraft have suffered several technical snags. On July 5, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had issued a show cause notice to the airline following eight instances of technical malfunction in a span of 18 days. The notice sought the company’s explanation on the “degradation of its safety margins”.
However, the regulator had found no major safety violations in SpiceJet aircraft during spot checks, the Centre had told Parliament on July 25.
Two days later, the aviation regulator ordered the airline to operate 50% of its flights for eight weeks.
Any increase in number of departures beyond 50% would require the airline to show it has sufficient technical support and financial resources to safely upgrade its capacity, the order added.