The New Indian Express ·
Air India Express from Kochi to UAE turns back after engine oil pressure drops, shuts down mid-air
An Air India Express Boeing 737 operating flight IX 415 from Kochi to Abu Dhabi was forced to turn back shortly after take-off last week. This was after the crew detected a rapid drop in Engine 1 oil quantity, news agency ANI reported.
The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International Airport. Passengers on board were reportedly unaware of the seriousness of the situation that had developed in the cockpit.
According to the report, the aircraft was about 50 minutes into the flight and cruising at 36,000 feet when the pilots noticed that the oil quantity in Engine 1 was falling rapidly. The crew conducted a FORDEC assessment and, as the oil quantity continued to decline, decided to abandon the Abu Dhabi sector and return to Kochi.
The commander contacted Mumbai Radio on high frequency and informed air traffic control that the aircraft was turning back. The pilots continued monitoring the engine parameters and prepared for possible contingencies during the return.
About 45 minutes after the aircraft turned back, the oil pressure in Engine 1 began fluctuating and subsequently entered the red zone on the cockpit gauge, indicating dangerously low pressure. The crew then followed the Non-Normal Checklist (NNC) and shut down the engine.
The aircraft, by then, was operating with one engine and was still carrying the additional weight associated with the return flight. The pilots completed the landing safely at Kochi, ANI reported.
An Air India Express spokesperson said, "A week ago, one of our Kochi-Abu Dhabi flights made an air turnback in line with established safety protocols. Guests were subsequently connected to Abu Dhabi on an alternative aircraft. Reports presenting this incident without the relevant timeline and context may inadvertently cause unnecessary concern among guests and the travelling public."
The incident comes amid a series of technical diversions involving Indian carriers in recent weeks. It also comes days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary findings into the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident. The report said Airbus technical experts had inspected the aircraft for three days in the presence of the investigation team, while hydraulic components and samples were collected for further analysis.
Following the Phuket-Delhi incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would increase the annual percentage of psychoactive substance tests for flight crew.
The latest Air India Express incident could also bring renewed focus on the effectiveness of safety audits conducted by the DGCA and the wider regulatory oversight of airline maintenance and operations.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reviews the safety oversight systems of countries under its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme. India’s last major IASA assessment was conducted in October 2021, with the next assessment expected in November this year.
Whether the government uses the upcoming assessment as an opportunity to strengthen the framework governing DGCA safety oversight remains to be seen.
Official comments from the DGCA are awaited.
(With inputs from ANI)
