At around 08:30 this morning, a light aircraft caught fire in its engine during takeoff at Norwich Airport, causing the runway to be temporarily closed. The incident led to significant operational disruptions, with the runway expected to reopen at 12:30.
Norwich Airport officials stated, “Due to an engine fire on a light aircraft at 08:30 this morning, the runway has been temporarily closed. We advise our passengers to check with their airlines before traveling.”
Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, bringing the fire under control and preventing further damage. The East of England Ambulance Service and Norfolk Police confirmed that there were no injuries. An eyewitness described the seriousness of the event, saying, “The aircraft’s propellers were bent, and the landing gear didn’t appear to be down. We heard ‘collision’ calls on the radios.”
As a result of these developments, KLM’s 09:40 departure to Amsterdam was cancelled, while Loganair’s flight to Aberdeen has been delayed by three hours and will now depart at 11:30. On the arrivals side, the KLM flight scheduled to land from Amsterdam at 09:05 was cancelled. A TUI flight arriving from Corfu was delayed by approximately 15 minutes, now landing at 13:26. Seven other scheduled departures and arrivals are expected to proceed as planned.
This incident in Norwich highlights continued sensitivity in air traffic operations following recent flight delays caused by an emergency landing at Birmingham Airport.
Passengers are strongly advised to monitor airline and airport announcements when planning their travel.
