Captain Monica Khanna To Mahasweta Chakraborty, Daredevil Women Pilots Who Saved Numerous Lives

Female pilot Captain Monica Khanna saved the lives of her Spicejet Boeing 737 flight passengers when she made an emergency landing after the plane’s engine caught fire mid-air on June 19. Captain Khanna is now winning praise for her quick thinking and bravery.

These Indian female pilots saved the lives of their passengers on different flights, stranded students, and crew members. From engines on fire mid-flight to the front wheels of an aircraft breaking, these pilots took stock of the situation, assessed what needed to be done, and ultimately acted in best interest of their passengers.

Indian Female Pilots That Saved Lives

Captain Monica Khanna

Captain Monica Khanna saved the lives of her passengers while she was flying the Spicejet Boeing 737 by making an emergency landing. One of the plane’s engines had caught fire after take-off from Patna. Khanna switched off the affected engine and landed the plane back at Patna airport. All 185 passengers on the flight were evacuated safely evacuated after landing.

The plane was returned to the Patna airport for an emergency landing, with only one functioning engine. The engine had been damaged and caught fire after a bird hit the engine.

Mahasweta Chakraborty

The 24-year-old pilot Mahasweta Chakraborty rescued more than 800 Indian students from the border of Ukraine, Poland, and Hungary. Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Chakraborty flew six flights from February 27 to March 7.

She was in charge of operating flights from the borders of Ukraine and rescued more than 800 students during her six flights. Chakraborty received the Swayam Siddha award from the Rotary Club of Calcutta Metro City.

Captain Urmilla Yadav

Captain Urmilla Yadav saved the lives of her passengers and crew members of an Air India ATR flight from Silchar to Guwahati. On June 10, 2012, the aircraft AI-9760 lost one front wheel mid-air. Captain Yadav managed to land the plane at the LGBI Airport in Guwahati. Yadav hovered over the city for more than an hour to burn the fuel and reduce the weight of the aircraft so that she could attempt a tail-first landing.

The flight had 48 passengers and 5 crew members that were saved by Yadav’s successful landing of the plane.

Anupama Kohli

Pilot Anupama Kohli saved the lives of passengers on two airborne flights when she managed to avoid a midair collision. Air Indian pilot Kohli steered her plane to safety and avoided a crash with another flight that was around 100 feet away from the plane.

There was reportedly confusion between Air Traffic Control (ATC), which lead to the other flight descending from an altitude of 29,000 feet to 27,000 feet, which was the level at which Kohli was flying her plane. Kohli saved the lives of 261 passengers by reacting to the warning on the aircraft and flying it upwards to avoid the other aircraft.

Suggested Reading: Who Is Captain Monica Khanna? Pilot On Patna-Delhi Flight Responsible For Saving Lives