Novoair jet returns to Dhaka after landing gear malfunction mid-flight

Passengers bound for Cox’s Bazar have later been flown on another aircraft, spokesperson says

A Novoair flight bound for Cox’s Bazar has returned to Dhaka shortly after take-off in the evening after a landing gear malfunction, the airline has said.

The private carrier said Flight VQ-935 departed from Shahjalal International Airport around 6:30pm on Friday but was flown back by the pilot following standard safety procedures.

A spokesperson for Novoair said, “Passengers were later flown to Cox’s Bazar on another aircraft.”

The ATR 72-500 turboprop involved is one of five aircraft in Novoair’s fleet.

The airline said the landing gear, including the wheels, failed to retract properly after take-off.

Attempts to retract the gear triggered abnormal hydraulic noise, but the mechanism did not respond as expected, it added.

Cox’s Bazar-based journalist Tanvirul Miraj Ripon, who was on board, wrote on Facebook that the aircraft had departed on time but was forced to return within 30–40 minutes due to the fault.

“The landing gear remained extended and was not functioning properly, accompanied by loud noises,” he said.

The aircraft landed safely back in Dhaka, and the airline arranged an alternative flight for the affected passengers.