India
oi-Prakash KL
An Air India Express Boeing 737 operating flight IX 415 from Cochin to Abu Dhabi was forced to abort its journey and return to the Kerala capital after the cockpit crew detected a critical drop in Engine 1’s oil quantity, ultimately shutting it down when pressure readings entered the danger zone, ANI reported citing sources.
“The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International Airport. The aircraft was about 50 minutes after take-off and flying at 36000 feet when the pilot and co-pilot noticed Engine 1 oil quantity dropping rapidly. The crew carried out a FORDEC assessment. With the oil quantity continuing to fall, they decided to abandon the Abu Dhabi sector and return to Cochin,” sources told news agency.
An Air India Express Boeing 737, flight IX 415 from Cochin to Abu Dhabi, returned safely to Cochin after Engine 1 experienced a rapid oil quantity drop and was subsequently shut down mid-flight due to dangerously low oil pressure. The incident occurred approximately 50 minutes after take-off.
The commander established contact with Mumbai Radio on high frequency and notified Air Traffic Control of the decision to reverse course. Standard operating protocols were adhered to throughout the diversion, with both pilots maintaining a close watch on engine parameters and preparing for potential contingencies.
Approximately 45 minutes into the return leg, Engine 1’s oil pressure began to fluctuate violently before the gauge needle moved into the red zone-an indicator of dangerously low pressure. The crew immediately consulted the Non-Normal Checklist and proceeded to shut down the affected engine.
What followed was a demanding single-engine landing of an overweight Boeing 737, a manoeuvre that aviation experts describe as high-risk and exceptionally workload-intensive. Despite the complexity, the crew executed the approach and touchdown smoothly, with passengers largely oblivious to the severity of the situation unfolding in the cockpit, the report noted.
The incident marks yet another technical diversion involving an Indian carrier, a phenomenon that has become increasingly routine in recent weeks. This latest development comes hot on the heels of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s release of preliminary findings into the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight episode, where Airbus technical experts spent three days examining the aircraft under the investigation team’s supervision, collecting hydraulic components and fluid samples for laboratory analysis.
In response to the Phuket-Delhi incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had announced that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would increase the annual percentage of psychoactive substance tests for flight crew. The latest engine-oil event now raises a parallel question: whether the ministry will similarly move to strengthen the framework governing DGCA’s safety audit mechanisms.
