Pune: A full emergency was declared at Pune airport on Sunday morning after the landing gear of a Guwahati-bound IndiGo flight failed to retract shortly after take-off, forcing the aircraft to return to its origin.The Airbus A320-271N (VT-IZE), operating as flight 6E 623, landed safely at 9.04am, nearly two hours after its scheduled departure, with all 192 people on board, including passengers and crew, escaping unhurt.Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke confirmed the incident and said Indian Air Force (IAF) declared a full emergency, triggering activation of all prescribed emergency response procedures. “Immediately after receiving information from the pilot, airport authorities coordinated with ATC, IndiGo and all agencies concerned. Fire services, ambulances and other emergency response teams were placed on high alert to ensure the safety of passengers and crew,” Dhoke said.As part of the emergency protocol, the aircraft conducted a low pass over the runway to allow officials to visually assess the condition of its landing gear. It subsequently returned to Pune and landed safely at 9.04am. “After landing, the aircraft was escorted to bay number 7 by three firefighting vehicles and two ambulances. Once its safe condition was confirmed, ATC withdrew the full emergency at 9.10am. The aerobridge was then connected and all passengers were safely deboarded,” Dhoke said.A passenger on board said that the announcement about the aircraft returning to Pune came as a surprise, although there were no noticeable jerks or unusual movements during the flight. “The aircraft remained airborne for more than an hour before landing back in Pune. The cabin crew asked everyone to remain calm and fasten their seatbelts. Many passengers were relieved when the aircraft finally touched down safely,” the passenger said, requesting anonymity.Sources said the aircraft remained airborne for an extended period to burn off excess fuel and reduce its weight to an appropriate level for landing. This is a standard precaution in certain emergency situations, depending on the aircraft’s fuel load and landing weight limitations.An IndiGo spokesperson said the aircraft was undergoing maintenance checks and would resume operations only after obtaining necessary clearances. The airline arranged an alternative aircraft from Bengaluru (VT-IZD) to operate the stranded passengers’ onward journey.The replacement aircraft departed Pune around 2.20pm and reached Guwahati at 4.46pm, bringing the nearly eight-hour disruption to an end for the affected passengers.The flight was scheduled to depart Pune at 7.15am and reach Guwahati around 10am. Shortly after take-off at 7.32am, the pilot alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC) about a technical snag after the aircraft’s landing gear remained extended instead of retracting.The spokesperson added, “Flight 6E 623, operating from Pune to Guwahati on Nov 15, returned to its origin after a technical snag was detected shortly after take-off. All relevant authorities were immediately informed in line with standard operating procedures. An alternate aircraft was promptly arranged. We regret the inconvenience caused and are taking measures to assist passengers through regular updates, meals and refreshments, alternate flight options and refunds, as applicable.”
