Mumbai, Dec 22: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) launched a high-level investigation into a serious technical incident involving a Mumbai-bound Air India flight that was forced to return and make an emergency landing at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Monday morning.
Boeing 777 Aircraft Carried Over 330 Onboard
The flight AI-887, operated through a long-haul category Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, was carrying approximately 335 passengers and crew and had departed from Delhi at 6.31 am. However, less than an hour after take-off, the flight crew detected a critical technical failure in the engine.
Low Engine Oil Pressure Warning Mid-Air
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According to data from flight tracking services, the aircraft, registered as VT-ALS, had been airborne for roughly 45 minutes when the cockpit crew observed a low engine oil pressure warning on engine no. 2, the right-wing engine, during the flap retraction phase.
The situation escalated quickly as the oil pressure dropped to zero, prompting the pilots to initiate a standard operating procedure (SOP) to shut down the affected engine mid-air.
Full Emergency Declared At Delhi Airport
The crew decided to return to the flight origin station and landed back in Delhi at around 6.52 am. A full emergency was declared at IGI Airport between 6.40 am and 6.52 am as ground services, including fire tenders, ambulances and rescue teams, were placed on high alert and positioned along the runway. The aircraft landed safely on a single engine, and all passengers disembarked via the regular gates without injury.
MoCA Seeks Report, DGCA Probes Incident
Following the incident, the MoCA took note of the incident, sought a detailed report from Air India and directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a thorough probe. The ministry also directed the airline to extend assistance to passengers and accommodate them on subsequent flights.
DGCA To Review Maintenance Records
The DGCA stated that it will review the aircraft’s recent maintenance logs. Sources have said that preliminary checks did not indicate any previous abnormalities in oil consumption for this specific aircraft.
Alternative Aircraft Arranged For Passengers
Air India stated that the aircraft will undergo the necessary checks and that an alternative Boeing 777 aircraft was arranged, which departed post 10 am to transport the stranded passengers to Mumbai.
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Air India Apologises For Inconvenience
“Air India sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen situation. The aircraft is undergoing the necessary checks. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain the top priority,” said an Air India spokesperson.
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