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Is SpiceJet Safe? What India’s DGCA and AAIB Records Actually Show (2026)

Last updated: Aug 31, 2026

Is SpiceJet safe today?

All four official safety checks are clear right now. Here is the 21 year record behind them.

0crashesin 21 yearsIndia’s air accident investigators have looked into five accidents since 2005. In one of them, a passenger later died.

                                                      Tail VT-SGG39.5 m longTail VT-MXD39.5 m longTail VT-SQA32.8 m longTail XU-72537.6 m longTail VT-SLA33.6 m longTail VT-SLC42.1 m longBoeing 737-8003 flying8 parked19.5 years old186 to 189 seats3 accidentsThree of the five accidents were on this type, including the fatal one. The one you are most likely to get, and the oldest. One of the three is 22.7 years old.Boeing 737 MAX 83 flying0 parked7.8 years old189 seatsNo accidentsThe newest jets SpiceJet has, and the only type with none parked.De Havilland Dash 8 Q4002 flying22 parked8.1 years old90 seats2 accidentsBoth were in 2015, and nobody was hurt. A propeller plane. 22 of the 24 are parked, and the two still flying are among the newest.Airbus A320-2003 flying0 parked17.2 years old180 seatsNo accidentsThese three arrived in July 2026, leased from Sky Angkor and still in its paint, so the plane at the gate will not look like a SpiceJet one.Boeing 737-7002 flying3 parked19.1 years old149 seatsNo accidentsTwo 19 year old jets, mostly on the Delhi to Mumbai night runs.Boeing 737-900ER1 flying2 parked18.3 years old212 seatsNo accidentsJust one of these, and the biggest cabin in the fleet at 212 seats.
NOWOfficial checks, right nowChecked 21 Aug 2026
Extra checks by India’s regulatorNone right now, the last one ended 15 October 2024India’s regulator, the DGCA, has put SpiceJet under extra watch three times. It ended the last one in October 2024, and routine spot checks continue. Nothing new has been announced since.Global airline safety auditValid to March 2027, renewed March 2025The IOSA audit checks how an airline runs itself, not individual planes. SpiceJet passed it again in March 2025.EU ban listNot on it, list last updated 9 June 2026No Indian airline is banned or restricted in Europe. Being off this list is normal, not an award.US rating for IndiaCategory 1, checked again November 2026Category 1 is the top grade. It means the US regulator trusts India to oversee its airlines properly. It rates the country, not SpiceJet.
LOGThe five accidents
’221 May 2022, Durgapursevere turbulence
One person diedMumbai to Durgapur, SG 945 · 737-800, VT-SLH · 189 passengers, 6 crewThe plane landed safely, but the cabin was thrown around badly. A passenger in seat 16D hurt their spine and died four months later, on 26 September 2022. Investigators blamed the crew for flying into bad weather without keeping the required distance from it. The pilot lost their licence for six months.
’191 July 2019, Mumbairan off the end of the runway
Nobody hurtJaipur to Mumbai, SG 6237 · 737-800, VT-SYKLanded in heavy rain, ran off the end of the runway at about 150 km/h and stopped 160 metres beyond it with the nose wheel collapsed. Badly damaged, nobody hurt.
’154 December 2015, Jabalpurhit wild boars on the runway
Nobody hurtMumbai to Jabalpur · Q400, VT-SUC · 49 passengers, 4 crewHit a herd of wild boars on the runway. The left landing gear collapsed and the plane was written off. Nobody was hurt.
’158 March 2015, Hublislid off the side of the runway
Nobody hurtBengaluru to Hubli, SG 1085 · Q400, VT-SUA · 82 on boardSlid off a wet runway while landing in cloud and stopped 50 metres to the side. The landing gear collapsed and the left propeller blades snapped off. All 82 people on board got out through the right-hand doors, none of them hurt.
’146 November 2014, Surathit a buffalo on the runway
Nobody hurtSurat · 737-800 · 151 passengers, 6 crewThe engine was badly damaged. No fire, nobody hurt.
Five accidents in 21 years, and no crash. Two of them were animals on the runway. About 14 smaller incidents are logged separately and not counted here.
BOTTOM LINEThe one death in 21 years was a passenger hurt by turbulence on a Mumbai to Durgapur flight in May 2022, who died four months later. Turbulence is the only thing on this record that has hurt anybody, so keeping your seatbelt on is the useful decision you get to make.No crash in 21 years1 death5 accidents
SpiceJet on Wego
Where this comes from
The five accidents are the ones formally investigated and published by India’s AAIB, with aircraft types checked against ASN and SKYbrary. About 14 smaller reports are classed as serious incidents rather than accidents, and are not counted. The regulator positions are the DGCA, IATA, European Commission and FAA statements current on 21 August 2026. Fleet numbers come from Planespotters.net, read 20 August 2026. The aircraft drawings are scale outlines by length, not liveries. No fares are quoted in this widget.

Short answer: SpiceJet is certified and inspected by the same regulator, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), that oversees every other Indian carrier. It has never had a crash, but its record is not injury-free.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has investigated five accidents involving SpiceJet aircraft, and one of them recorded a fatal injury: a passenger hurt in a severe-turbulence encounter in May 2022 who died of those injuries four months later.

Separately, the DGCA has placed the airline under enhanced surveillance three times since 2022. None of those measures is in force today.

Important: The checks above describe current systems and oversight. They are not a guarantee about any single flight.

The fatal injury on SpiceJet’s record

On 1 May 2022, flight SG945 from Mumbai to Durgapur hit severe turbulence on descent. The AAIB’s final report records 18 passengers injured, three of them seriously; one, seated in 16D, died of a spinal injury on 26 September 2022. The DGCA issued a show-cause notice over the decision to continue the approach, and later suspended the pilot’s licence for six months.

The other four accident investigations

None of the other four killed or seriously hurt anyone: a buffalo strike at Surat in November 2014, a runway excursion at Hubli in March 2015, a wildlife strike at Jabalpur in December 2015, and a runway excursion at Mumbai in July 2019. The AAIB has also published around 14 serious-incident reports involving SpiceJet aircraft.

The DGCA’s enhanced-surveillance record

Enhanced surveillance is not a flight ban. It means the DGCA steps up spot checks, sometimes at night, and can require an airline to confirm defects are rectified before an aircraft flies again.

Imposed Trigger Outcome
Jul 2022 Eight technical malfunctions in 18 days; a 6 July show-cause notice cited poor internal safety oversight and inadequate maintenance action A 27 July order capped departures at 50% of the approved schedule, was extended in September, and ran until full capacity resumed on 30 October 2022
11 Jul 2023 Precautionary, after glitches reported during the previous monsoon season Lifted 25 July 2023 after 51 spot checks across 11 locations on 23 aircraft; DGCA called the 95 observations mostly routine in nature
Aug to Sep 2024 A special audit of engineering facilities on 7 and 8 August 2024 found deficiencies; DGCA’s own later statement dated the regime from 13 September and cited the airline’s funding constraints Lifted 15 October 2024 after 266 spot checks and confirmed rectification

No DGCA surveillance or capacity order against SpiceJet has been published since that October 2024 lift. Regulatory attention has continued in the ordinary way: a DGCA annual audit reported in July 2025 recorded 14 deficiencies at SpiceJet, and a February 2026 parliamentary reply put it at 16 of 43 aircraft with repetitive defects, against IndiGo’s 148 of 405 and Air India’s 137 of 166.

Fleet age

SpiceJet’s average fleet age is about 16 years, the oldest of any major Indian carrier, against roughly nine years for Air India and Air India Express and under five for IndiGo and Akasa Air.

That average counts the 38 aircraft currently parked, so it is not the age of the aircraft you would fly: the types actually in service range from about eight to twenty years old. Older aircraft are not unsafe by definition, but they carry a heavier inspection and maintenance burden.

If you’re booking a SpiceJet flight

  1. Build in a buffer. SpiceJet runs a small active fleet, which leaves less slack to recover a delay or swap an aircraft.
  2. Avoid tight self-transfers. Separate tickets carry the full risk if the first leg slips.
  3. Keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you are seated.
  4. Know your options first. Wego’s guide to what to do if your SpiceJet flight is cancelled covers refunds and rebooking, and the flight status guide covers the day itself.

Compare SpiceJet itineraries and flights to Delhi on Wego.

FAQ

Has anyone ever died on a SpiceJet flight?

Yes, one passenger. He was seriously injured when flight SG945 hit severe turbulence on 1 May 2022 and died of those injuries on 26 September 2022. SpiceJet has never had a crash.

Is SpiceJet under DGCA enhanced surveillance now?

No. The last regime was lifted on 15 October 2024, and DGCA said routine random spot checks continue.

How does SpiceJet compare with other Indian airlines?

All Indian scheduled carriers answer to the same regulator, and India holds the FAA’s top safety-oversight category, scoring 85.42% for effective implementation in its 2022 ICAO audit against a global average near 70%. SpiceJet’s distinguishing features are the oldest fleet among the majors and the most enhanced-surveillance episodes.

Sources

Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.

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