By Our Correspondent

National News – A Turkish Airlines passenger aircraft carrying 277 passengers and 11 crew members en route from Istanbul to Kathmandu experienced a landing gear fire during touchdown at Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal on Monday, May 11, 2026.

The incident occurred as the right landing gear reportedly ignited during landing, prompting immediate emergency evacuation procedures.

All passengers and crew were safely evacuated using emergency slides, with no injuries recorded.

The aircraft was on a scheduled international service to Nepal when the incident disrupted normal airport operations and raised urgent safety concerns among aviation authorities.

Aviation officials in Nepal confirmed that fire was visible during the landing phase, with smoke emerging from the aircraft’s right landing gear shortly before the aircraft came to a halt on the runway at Kathmandu.

The runway at Tribhuvan International Airport was temporarily closed for nearly two hours, causing short delays in flight operations before being reopened after safety checks.

According to Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesman for Nepal’s civil aviation authority, the situation is under active investigation as authorities seek to determine the exact cause of the landing gear fire.

Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Ustun stated that passengers were evacuated via emergency slides after smoke was detected and that a technical inspection had been launched by the airline’s authorised engineering team.

Preliminary assessments suggest the incident may have been triggered by a hydraulic pipe malfunction affecting the landing gear system.

The aircraft involved was operating a scheduled service from Istanbul to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, when the emergency occurred.

Although no casualties were reported, the event highlights ongoing safety challenges at high-altitude airports in Nepal, where complex terrain and weather conditions often complicate landings.

The airport has previously experienced similar incidents, including a 2015 runway excursion involving another Turkish Airlines aircraft, which led to extended runway closure and flight disruptions.

Authorities continue to review safety infrastructure, including radar and weather monitoring upgrades aimed at improving aviation safety nationwide.

Further updates are expected as inspection reports are completed and released to the public.