Air India Express Flight Turns Back to Cochin Due to Engine Oil Issue

The aircraft was about 50 minutes into the flight and flying at 36,000 feet (File Photo)

KOCHI: Air India Express Boeing 737 operating flight IX 415 from Cochin to Abu Dhabi was forced to turn back mid-flight after the crew detected a rapidly falling oil quantity in Engine 1 and later shut down the engine after oil pressure entered the danger zone. The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International Airport. Passengers on board were unaware of the seriousness of the situation that had unfolded in the cockpit.

According to sources, the aircraft was around 50 minutes into the flight and cruising at 36,000 feet when the pilot and co-pilot noticed Engine 1 oil quantity dropping rapidly. The crew carried out a FORDEC assessment. As the oil quantity continued to fall, they decided to abandon the Abu Dhabi sector and return to Cochin. The commander then contacted Mumbai Radio on high frequency and informed ATC that the flight was turning back to Cochin. Standard safety procedures were followed as the aircraft reversed course.

During the diversion, both pilots closely monitored the engine parameters and prepared for every possible contingency. Around 45 minutes after the turn back, Engine 1 oil pressure began fluctuating and entered the red zone on the cockpit gauge, indicating a drop into the danger range. The crew then followed the Non-Normal Checklist (NNC) and shut down Engine 1. Landing an overweight Boeing 737 on a single engine is a high-workload, high-risk manoeuvre. The crew completed the landing smoothly, while passengers remained unaware of the gravity of the situation in the cockpit.

Technical diversions have become a near-weekly feature across Indian carriers. The latest incident comes days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released its preliminary findings on the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight. The report stated that Airbus technical experts inspected the aircraft involved for three days in the presence of the investigation team. Hydraulic components and hydraulic samples were subsequently collected for further analysis.

Following the Phuket-Delhi incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the DGCA would increase the annual percentage of psychoactive substance tests for flight crew. The Air India Express engine-oil incident now raises a parallel question over whether the Ministry of Civil Aviation will also tighten the framework governing DGCA safety audits. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) typically reviews a country's safety oversight under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme approximately once every five years. India's last major IASA audit was conducted in October 2021, while the next is expected in November this year. Whether New Delhi uses this window to amend the rules governing DGCA safety audits will be closely watched. Official comments from Air India Express and the DGCA are awaited.