SpiceJet's plane returns midway due to 'autopilot' snag; DGCA to probe

A SpiceJet plane, carrying 89 passengers, that took off for Nashik from the national capital on Thursday returned midway due to an "autopilot" snag and aviation regulator DGCA will probe the incident, according to an official.

The Boeing 737 plane landed safely and later the passengers were flown to Nashik in another aircraft.

This is the latest in a series of incidents involving planes of SpiceJet, which was ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 27 to operate only 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks. The order had come in the wake of various SpiceJet aircraft facing technical issues.

SpiceJet B737 aircraft VT-SLP, operating flight SG-8363 (Delhi-Nashik), on Thursday was involved in an air turnback due to an autopilot snag, a DGCA official said.

The DGCA will probe the incident, the official added.

A source said there were 89 passengers onboard and they were ferried in another plane to Nashik, Maharashtra.

In a statement, SpiceJet said its Delhi-Nashik flight returned to Delhi after the flight crew experienced a malfunction with the autopilot system.

"The aircraft made a normal landing at Delhi and passengers disembarked normally," it said.

On Wednesday, SpiceJet, which is facing multiple headwinds, reported widening of net loss to Rs 789 crore in the June quarter, mainly due to high fuel prices and rupee depreciation.

Moreover, the DGCA deregistered six Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet in August for non-payment of dues.