LUCKNOW: A major accident was allegedly averted at Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow on Saturday when the pilot of an IndiGo aircraft (Flight 6E-2111) applied emergency brakes and aborted take-off after detecting insufficient engine thrust.
The Delhi-bound aircraft was carrying 151 passengers, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s wife and Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav. The sudden halt on the runway left many passengers shaken. All were later evacuated safely and re-accommodated on another flight to Delhi.
According to airport sources, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has demanded a detailed report on the incident.
“Preliminary information suggests that the issue was related to the aircraft not receiving the required thrust to lift off — a critical phase in any flight. The pilot, adhering to safety protocols, informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) and brought the aircraft back to Bay No. 07 via the taxiway,” an official statement said.
IndiGo later issued a statement, saying the flight was stopped due to “technical reasons,” reiterating that passenger safety remained its top priority. However, the airline did not specify the exact nature of the malfunction.
The incident occurred at 11:10 am as the flight prepared to depart for Delhi. Passengers reported that the aircraft had already gained considerable speed on the runway when they heard a sudden noise, followed by the pilot halting the plane.
“It felt like God saved us. A major accident could have happened,” recalled a passenger.
After informing the Air Traffic Control about the aborted take-off, the pilot taxied the plane back to Bay No. 07, where passengers were deboarded.
According to airport sources, an “aborted take-off” is a standard emergency protocol where the pilot halts the aircraft during its acceleration phase due to an unexpected technical snag or a warning signal from the cockpit. In this case, the timely action allegedly prevented a potential mishap.