New Delhi: A Buddha Air flight carrying 76 people, including 72 passengers and four crew members, made an emergency landing at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Nepal’s Kathmandu on Monday after experiencing a left engine flameout.
Flight BHA953, which departed from Kathmandu at 10.37am local time for Chandragadi, encountered technical difficulties mid-flight. Following the flameout, the pilots initiated a VOR (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range) approach and safely landed at TIA at 11.15am.
Technical team inspecting the aircraft
Buddha Air confirmed the incident in a statement shared on X: “Flight number 953 from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, with call sign 9N-AJS, was diverted back to Kathmandu after a technical issue was detected in the right engine. The aircraft safely landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 11.15am.”
The airline added that its technical team is currently inspecting the aircraft, and alternative arrangements are being made to transport the passengers to their destination. The TIA halted flight operations during the emergency landing to ensure safety.
What is a VOR landing?
A VOR landing utilises signals from a ground-based radio station to help pilots navigate and align the aircraft with the runway, particularly in conditions where visibility is reduced. This technology played a key role in guiding the Buddha Air flight back to safety.
