Not Just Air India Plane Crash, RTI reveals 65 in-flight engine shutdowns reported since 2020

According to the DGCA data, the pilots were able to safely manoeuvre the aircraft to the nearest airport with a single engine in all of these instances. In the case of the Air India plane crash, fuel to both engines were cut-off just after takeoff.

Bengaluru: An RTI query has revealed that 65 in-flight engine shutdowns were reported in the past five years, and 11 Mayday calls in the last 17 months excluding the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The stark reality came to light after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) responded to the RTI application. Four of the 11 flights which issued distress calls were due to technical glitches, and landed at Hyderabad.

According to the DGCA data, the pilots were able to safely manoeuvre the aircraft to the nearest airport with a single engine in all of these instances. In the case of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, fuel to both the engines were cut-off just after takeoff. The engine shutdowns can be due to a variety of reasons, such as low fuel, turbine malfunction or faulty electric components. Apart from AI-171, the list does not feature a June 19 Guwahati-Chennai IndiGo flight which was redirected to Bengaluru due to airport congestion. 

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report into the crash stated a warning was issued in 2018 the fuel switch lock might not work right on some planes. This problem was found in 737s and could also affect 787s because they use a similar design. In a sweeping directive following the release of the report, the DGCA ordered all airlines operating Boeing aircraft models to urgently inspect the critical locking mechanism of fuel control switches by July 21, 2025.

Amid the confusion prevailing over the preliminary report on Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) has said that it was too early to draw hasty conclusions. Earlier, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) had condemned the "reckless and unfounded insinuation" that pilot suicide might be the cause of the tragic crash.