A Turkish Airlines aircraft was evacuated on Monday after a tire on its right landing gear caught fire during landing in Kathmandu [1], [5].
The incident at Tribhuvan International Airport underscores the critical nature of emergency evacuation protocols during landing gear failures, which can rapidly escalate into aircraft fires.
The flight, call sign TK726 [4], was traveling from Istanbul to Kathmandu when the right tire ignited during the landing phase [1], [5]. Smoke was visible on the runway as the plane touched down [5]. Emergency crews responded to the scene to extinguish the fire and secure the aircraft.
There were 278 passengers and 11 crew members on board the aircraft [1], [2]. Among those on the flight were several United Nations officials [3]. Despite the fire, authorities reported no injuries during the emergency response.
"All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated," a police spokesperson said [3].
The aircraft was brought to a stop, and the evacuation was completed without further incident. "The aircraft with call sign TK726 was en route to Kathmandu from Istanbul, and the tire had caught fire while landing," an NDTV reporter said [3].
Airport officials and aviation investigators have not yet released a specific cause for the tire fire. The aircraft remains at Tribhuvan International Airport for inspection to determine why the landing gear malfunctioned during the final approach.
“All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.”
While tire fires are common occurrences in aviation due to friction and heat during braking, they present a significant risk of spreading to the fuselage or wing. The successful evacuation of nearly 300 people, including diplomatic personnel, demonstrates the efficacy of current safety drills and airport emergency response capabilities in Nepal.
