'A last-second aborted landing at Mumbai airport left us speechless.'
One of the passengers on the Indigo 6E 679 late evening flight from Vadodara to Mumbai on June 28 shares his heart-stopping experience with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.
A mail sent to IndiGo Airlines on June 29, and a subsequent mail on June 30, went unanswered at the time of publishing this article. We will update the article as and when IndiGo replies to the mail.
Everything Seemed Fine, And...
The flight to Mumbai was smooth -- until it neared the runway. Just ten seconds -- in my assessment -- from touchdown, the aircraft suddenly took off into the night sky.
For 10 to 15 tense minutes after that aborted landing, the plane circled over Mumbai before landing safely.
Looking out the window, I'd seen six to eight planes waiting below. Still, I wondered: 'Could the pilots have waited out the weather instead of attempting that shaky approach?'
In the end, gratitude took over questions -- the pilots had brought us home.
...Everything Changed in an Instant
The IndiGo Vadodara-Mumbai 6E 679 flight on June 28 had departed perfectly on schedule at 9 pm. Everything was going well until we approached Mumbai around 10 pm. That's when the first signs of trouble appeared -- a sudden drop in altitude, enough to scare the passengers aboard.
As we entered Mumbai, the turbulence kicked in. The plane got bumpy, and one could feel anxiety spreading through the cabin. What we didn't know was that this was the beginning of the most heart-stopping aviation experience of my life.
The Phoenix Mall Moment of Truth
Phoenix Mall (a prominent mall in suburban Kurla, north east Mumbai) became my reference point -- that unmistakable landmark that signals you're about to land in Mumbai.
It's often the first landmark that gives you a sense that you're minutes from landing. From my seat -- which I had changed from another seat due to an unpleasant smell after taking the cabin crew's permission before the flight took off from Vadodara -- I had a clear view.
Below, I could see six to eight aircraft lined up, waiting their turn. The airport appeared busy, but everything looked normal as we approached.
'Almost Landed... And Then Suddenly Zoomed Up'
Instead of the smooth descent where the aircraft maintains stability before touching down, our plane was wobbling.
The pilots must have realised at the last moment that the conditions weren't right. Instead of risking a dangerous landing, he made the decision to abort and pull up.
The Eerie Silence That Followed
What happened next was perhaps the most unsettling part of the entire experience. Complete silence. Nobody announced what was happening. Nobody explained why we had suddenly pulled up when we were seconds from landing.
For 10 to 15 minutes, we circled over Mumbai in complete uncertainty. Passengers who had been tense from the earlier turbulence were now speechless. You could sense the fear in the cabin.
The Mumbai Spirit Under Pressure
From my window seat, I watched Mumbai's lights below as we circled, wondering what was going through everyone's minds. The passenger reactions were telling -- this was the classic 'Mumbai Spirit' under stress. People stayed calm, stayed seated, didn't create a scene.
The Second Attempt
When we finally lined up for our second landing attempt, the tension was palpable.
This time, thankfully, the approach was smoother. The plane maintained better stability, and we touched down safely. The moment the wheels hit the tarmac, the entire cabin applauded. Everyone clapped: Genuine appreciation for pilots who had likely saved our lives with their decision.
No Explanations, Just 'Good Night'
Even after we landed safely, the silence from the crew continued. The captain never came out to explain what had happened or why the first landing was aborted. The crew simply opened the doors with their standard 'Good night, good night' and that was it.
The Unspoken Reality
Looking back, that 10 second decision probably saved all our lives. I began having this conversation with myself: 'If the plane was wobbling due to weather conditions and the pilots had continued with the landing despite the instability, the results could have been catastrophic.'
'Maybe the communication between the ATC (air traffic control) and the pilots should have happened earlier. Maybe the weather warnings should have come sooner. Maybe the pilots should have circled longer before that first attempt.'
But in that crucial moment, when they had perhaps ten seconds to make a choice, the pilots chose safety.
A Grateful Perspective
Despite the terror of that aborted landing, despite the silence and lack of explanation, every passenger recognised that the pilots had made the right call.
Yes, it was the most heart-stopping aviation experience any of us had ever been through. Yes, those ten seconds felt like an eternity. But we all walked off that plane safely, and sometimes that's all that matters.
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