Delhi-Kathmandu SpiceJet Flight returns after suspected tailpipe fire

New Delhi: A Kathmandu-bound SpiceJet aircraft returned to the bay at Delhi airport on Thursday following a suspected tailpipe fire, the airline confirmed.

The flight, SG041, was being operated using a Boeing 737-8 aircraft, according to flight tracking data from Flightradar24.com.

In a statement, the airline said: "On September 11, 2025, a SpiceJet aircraft scheduled to operate from Delhi to Kathmandu returned to bay after another aircraft on the ground reported a suspected tailpipe fire. No warnings or indications were observed in the cockpit, but the pilots decided to return as a precautionary safety measure."

The aircraft subsequently underwent detailed engineering checks, during which no abnormalities were found, the airline added. It has since been cleared for operations and is expected to depart shortly.

Flight departure was delayed by over four hours, sources said. The number of passengers on board was not immediately known.

In aviation terms, a tailpipe refers to the exhaust outlet of a jet engine. A tailpipe fire—also known as an internal fire—typically occurs on the ground, during engine start-up or shutdown, and within the normal gas flow path of the engine, according to the aviation safety resource SKYbrary.