Story perspectives

Turkish Airlines Flight Evacuates After Landing-Gear Smoke, No Injuries

5/11/2026

Summary

Turkish Airlines Evacuates Flight

Turkish Airlines flight TK726 from Istanbul to Kathmandu was evacuated after landing-gear smoke appeared while taxiing at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The aircraft, registered TC-JNP, landed normally before the smoke was seen.
Airport tower ordered the crew to deploy emergency slides, resulting in a safe exit with no injuries.
Technical checks pointed to a hydraulic pipe malfunction, leading to an inspection and an extra flight to limit disruption.

Summary

Tribhuvan Airport Closure

Tribhuvan International Airport’s sole runway was closed for one hour, forcing holding patterns and delaying departures.
Flight TK726, carrying 277 passengers and United Nations staff to Kathmandu, was delayed.
The incident exposed the airport’s single-runway vulnerability, prompting calls for operational redundancy.
Recent upgrades to Nepal’s navigation equipment and emergency-response training enabled fire containment, prompting analysts to warn that closures can disrupt tourism, business travel and cargo that sustain Nepal’s economy.

Summary

Turkish Airlines Responds

Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul said the Airbus A330 was grounded after the right-rear tyre fire was extinguished.
Turkish Airlines senior vice-president for communications Yahya Ustun posted on X that technical inspections began after the May 11, 2026 incident in Kathmandu.
The airline used X to give real-time updates to passengers and the public.

History

Historical Context

The 27 March 1977 Tenerife disaster, in which KLM and Pan Am 747s collided on Los Rodeos runway killing 583 people, forced worldwide adoption of strict radio phraseology and crew-resource-management training. Those safety reforms echo today as a hydraulic pipe fire grounds a single-runway at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan Airport, prompting Nepal’s civil aviation authority and the UN to demand runway redundancy.

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Turkish Airlines Evacuates Flight

Turkish Airlines flight TK726 from Istanbul to Kathmandu was evacuated after landing-gear smoke appeared while taxiing at Tribhuvan International Airport.
The aircraft, registered TC-JNP, landed normally before the smoke was seen.
Airport tower ordered the crew to deploy emergency slides, resulting in a safe exit with no injuries.
Technical checks pointed to a hydraulic pipe malfunction, leading to an inspection and an extra flight to limit disruption.

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