Turkish Airlines plane evacuated after landing gear fire in Nepal

Earlier today, May 11, 2026, a Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 (Flight TK 726) arriving from Istanbul was forced to undergo an emergency evacuation at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, Nepal, after its right landing gear caught fire upon touchdown.

Key Details of the Incident
The Fire: The incident occurred around 6:34 am local time. Ground observers and airport officials reported seeing visible flames and thick grey smoke emanating from the tyres of the right landing gear as the aircraft decelerated on the runway.

Evacuation: All 277 passengers and 11 crew members were safely evacuated using the aircraft’s emergency slides.

Injuries: While most reports indicate no serious injuries, airport officials noted that two passengers sustained minor finger injuries during the evacuation process.

Airport Impact: The incident forced the closure of Kathmandu’s only runway for approximately 98 minutes, leading to several international flights being diverted or put on hold. Operations officially resumed at 8:12 am.

Investigation and Response
Immediate Action: Airport fire engines responded within minutes to extinguish the flames. The aircraft was eventually towed to a taxiway to clear the runway for other traffic.

Possible Causes: Preliminary reports from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) suggest the fire may have been caused by a tyre burst, a hard landing, or a technical fault in the braking system. A detailed technical assessment by the Flight Safety Standard Department is currently underway.

History of Incidents: This event has drawn comparisons to a 2015 incident where a Turkish Airlines jet skidded off the same runway in dense fog, which shut down the airport for four days.

The aircraft involved in today's incident remains grounded in Kathmandu for further inspection. Turkish Airlines has reportedly made hotel arrangements for passengers who were scheduled to depart on the return leg to Istanbul.