One of the passengers who was on the Delhi-Bangalore GoAir flight that got prevented from meeting with a major accident on Wednesday evening wrote to DNA. Read here what he has to say.
If a group of local residents had not been vigilant enough, a GoAir flight to Bangalore with about 200 on board would have met a tragic fate on Wednesday evening. The locals spotted fire and smoke from the aircraft's tail and immediately alerted a PCR which in turn conveyed the emergency to Delhi ATC.
One of the passengers Saurabh Tandon who was on the flight recalls the fateful evening. Read his account below.
My name is Saurabh Tandon and I was one of the passengers on the Delhi-Bangalore GoAir flight yesterday (flight no. G8/557 scheduled departure 18:40).
The flight took off and within 5-7 minutes I heard people shouting "fire fire fire". The left engine caught fire.
I turned to my left (since I was sitting at the right side of the plane) and looked over my shoulder and it was horrific. There was a huge fire. I could hear people panicking and screaming. I saw the fire lasting for about 30 seconds, and then it was miraculously put off.
The pilot must have shut the left engine down. Then we landed safely (on one engine) in approximately 20 minutes (emergency landing). I must say the pilot should become the national hero (unfortunately in India we don't do that). However, I could easily sense the nervousness in his voice after landing.
After landing, we waited in the aircraft for about 20 minutes and then started to come out. I could see, while coming down the stairs, the left engine was opened-up and few technicians were standing there.
We were transferred to another aircraft; although, a few passengers were still in shock and decided not to board.
I saw in the morning, only three websites have written about it and leaving it lightly as technical glitch. Guess, they also do not know what exactly happened.
We all have families and unfortunately not every day may be as lucky as yesterday.
(With inputs from Anvit Srivastava)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "GoAir flight")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}