An IndiGo Airbus A320neo returned to Pune on Sunday 15 November 2026 after the crew were unable to retract its landing gear. The aircraft was operating flight 6E623 from Pune to Guwahati with 192 people on board. It landed safely back at Pune Airport around 100 minutes after departure, according to The Aviation Herald.
Climb Halted Over Pune
The aircraft, an Airbus A320-200N registered VT-IZE, took off from runway 28 at Pune. Shortly after departure, however, the crew discovered that the landing gear would not retract. As a result, they stopped the climb at 7,000 feet.
Flying with the gear extended creates significant drag. It also increases fuel burn and imposes strict speed limits on the aircraft. Consequently, continuing the scheduled journey of almost three hours to Guwahati was not a realistic option.
Troubleshooting in the Hold
Instead of pressing on, the crew levelled off and entered a hold. This gave them time to troubleshoot the fault and work through the relevant procedures. Meanwhile, the aircraft stayed airborne for around 80 minutes before the crew brought it back towards the airfield.
The full track of the flight is available on Flightradar24.
Safe Landing Back in Pune
About 80 minutes after departure, the A320neo flew a low approach to runway 28 at Pune. The crew then climbed away and positioned the aircraft for a full landing. Around 20 minutes later, the aircraft touched down safely on the same runway.
Replacement Aircraft Reaches Guwahati
IndiGo assigned a replacement A320neo, registered VT-IZD, to operate the service. That aircraft eventually reached Guwahati with a delay of about six hours and 45 minutes. Passengers therefore faced a lengthy wait in Pune before continuing their journey east.
How the A320neo Gear System Works
On the A320 family, the green hydraulic system powers normal gear extension and retraction. Two Landing Gear Control and Interface Units monitor the gear through a network of proximity sensors. If these units detect a fault, or sense that the aircraft is still on the ground, they can prevent retraction. However, no cause for the fault on VT-IZE has emerged so far.
A Familiar Fault for IndiGo
Gear retraction faults are uncommon, but IndiGo has dealt with similar events before. In January 2024, an IndiGo A320 operating flight 6E2074 from Patna to New Delhi returned after its gear failed to retract. On that occasion, the aircraft remained on the ground for 24 hours.
VT-IZE Remains Grounded in Pune
Meanwhile, the aircraft was still on the ground at Pune about nine hours after landing. Engineers will need to identify why the gear failed to retract before the aircraft returns to service.
According to Flightera, the aircraft has two Pratt & Whitney PW1127G engines. It also seats 186 passengers in an all economy layout.
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