Turkish Airlines A330 evacuated after landing‑gear fire shuts Kathmandu airport, passengers safe
A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 caught fire in its right rear landing gear upon landing in Kathmandu on May 11, forcing an evacuation and temporary airport closure. All 288 passengers and 11 crew were safely evacuated, and the airline attributed the issue to a hydraulic pipe malfunction, grounding the plane while arranging an alternative flight for stranded passengers.
A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 landing in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 11 experienced a fire in its right rear landing gear, leading to an emergency evacuation and a one-hour closure of the airport. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal confirmed that all 277 passengers and 11 crew members exited safely via emergency exits, with no injuries reported. The fire was extinguished quickly, and the aircraft was towed to a taxiway before being grounded for further inspection. Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, stated that the fire originated from the right rear tire. Turkish Airlines later confirmed that smoke was detected in the landing gear while taxiing, attributing the issue to a technical malfunction in a hydraulic pipe. Yahya Ustun, the airline’s senior vice president for communications, announced on X that technical inspections were underway. He also mentioned that an additional flight would be arranged to return passengers to Istanbul. The incident disrupted operations at Tribhuvan International Airport but did not result in any casualties or major damage beyond the affected landing gear.
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