Pilot of a Patna-Delhi SpiceJet Boeing 737, Captain Monica Khanna is making headlines from her timely act of bravery that saved many lives. The Delhi bound flight with 185 passengers made an emergency landing at the Patna airport after one of the aircraft's engines caught fire shortly after take-off from Patna.
The pilot in command, Captain Monica Khanna, switched off the affected engine and returned safely to Patna airport with everyone on board unharmed in this emergency landing. All passengers were safely evacuated and there has been no report of any injury, officials said. Videos shot by locals on the ground show sparks coming out from the left engine of SpiceJet Boeing 737.
Read | Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight makes emergency landing in Patna after engine catches fire
"Captain Monika Khanna and first officer Balpreet Singh Bhatia conducted themselves well during the incident. They were calm throughout, and handled the aircraft well. They are experienced officers and we're proud of them," ANI quoted Gurcharan Arora, SpiceJet chief of flight operations, as saying.
What happened?
One of the aircraft's engines caught fire. Meanwhile, Captain Monica Khanna decided to shut down the plane's left engine immediately after communicating with ATC. The aircraft had to make one round as per the standards. The aircraft was hurriedly returned back after taking a detour. Only a single engine was functioning when the Boeing 737 landed back.
Eye witnesses said that the fire in the engine of the plane had extinguished by the time it was approaching the runway. After the safe landing, the representatives of the airlines and airport officials welcomed Captain Monica with applause. According to engineers, a fan blade and engine were damaged due to a bird hit. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will probe further.
Who Is Captain Monica Khanna?
According to some reports, Monica Khanna is a highly-qualified Pilot at Spicejet Limited. Her Instagram profile suggests that she loves to travel and has a deep interest in latest fashion and trends. It was due to Captain Monica Khanna's quick and right response to an emergency situation that a big incident was averted and many lives saved.
Captain Monica Khanna was the pilot in command of the Patna-Delhi SpiceJet Boeing 737 and is an experienced officer.
.
