IN SHORT

• A Buddha Air flight with 76 people aboard made a safe emergency landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• The flight experienced a fire in its left engine, prompting the emergency landing.
• The aircraft performed a VOR landing, a specialized emergency landing technique.
• The VOR landing uses signals from a ground-based radio station to guide the aircraft.

NEPAL - KATHMANDU: A Buddha Air flight with 76 people aboard, including crew members, made a safe emergency landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday after experiencing a fire in its left engine. The incident prompted the aircraft to perform a VOR landing, a specialized emergency landing technique.

The VOR landing, or Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range landing, allows pilots to safely navigate and align their aircraft with the runway using signals from a ground-based radio station. This method is crucial when visibility is poor, ensuring the flight reaches the runway even when the pilot cannot see it directly.

Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd, founded in 1996 by retired Supreme Court judge Surendra Bahadur Basnet and his son Birendra Bahadur Basnet, has become Nepal’s largest domestic airline. The carrier, based in Lalitpur, operates flights throughout Nepal and provides international service to Varanasi, India.

In 2023, Buddha Air was recognized for carrying the highest number of domestic passengers in Nepal. Despite the fire, the incident highlights the airline's prompt and professional handling of emergency situations, ensuring the safety of all passengers on board.

The company confirmed in a statement that a different aircraft is being provided for passengers to continue their journey. 
Officials noted that Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu was temporarily closed. However, a spokesperson later informed ANI that the airport has resumed normal operations following the aircraft's landing.

Earlier, on October 17, 2024, a Buddha Air plane, with the call sign 9N AJS, was diverted to Kathmandu and safely landed at Tribhuvan International Airport after a technical problem was detected during its flight. The issue was related to the plane's right engine. on that day, due to poor visibility in the mountain area, all five scheduled mountain flights by Buddha Air were cancelled for the day. Dense fog in the region made it unsafe for flying, leading to the cancellation of the flights.