Pune, 18 April 2026: Pune airport operations were temporarily halted after an Indian Air Force Sukhoi fighter aircraft encountered a landing issue late on April 17. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm when the aircraft attempted to land on Runway 10.
During landing, the aircraft suffered a failure of its landing gear, leading to a hard impact with the runway. The force caused intense friction between the tyres and the surface, sparking flames that briefly ignited the rear section of the aircraft.
The situation created immediate concern at the airport and forced authorities to halt all civil flight operations.
Despite the dramatic nature of the incident, all crew members onboard were reported safe, and no civilian property damage occurred. However, the disruption significantly impacted passengers, with at least 50 flights either delayed, diverted, or cancelled.
Stranded passengers on Pune Airport expressed frustration, with some sharing videos on platforms like Reddit, highlighting delays and lack of immediate clarity at the airport.
Following the incident, teams worked overnight on a war footing to clear debris and repair the runway. The efforts were accelerated after instructions from Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol.
The repair work was completed successfully, allowing flight departures to resume from 7:30 am, followed by arrivals from 8:00 am.
Authorities confirmed that airport operations are now stabilizing, and normal flight schedules are expected to be restored fully through the day. The quick response ensured minimal long-term disruption, though passengers faced temporary inconvenience due to the unexpected late-night incident.