India reports 65 engine shutdowns since 2020, 11 mayday calls in 17 months: DGCA data, ET Infra

Time of India

15-07-2025

Technical failures and emergency calls
Advt
DGCA directive and international inspections
Advt
By ,
ETInfra
India has recorded 65 incidents of in-flight engine shutdowns since 2020 and 11 Mayday distress calls over the last 17 months, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) through a Right to Information (RTI) query submitted by TOI. The data does not include the crash of Air India's London-bound AI-171 flight in Ahmedabad on June 12 or the recent diversion of an IndiGo domestic flight.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report indicates that a fuel cut-off to both engines led to the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India. This is part of a wider trend of technical failures across Indian carriers. While most aircraft landed safely, aviation experts have raised concerns about the rising number of incidents, according to a report by The Economic Times.The DGCA stated that engine shutdowns occurred during both take-off and mid-air operations. All 65 aircraft involved in these shutdowns landed safely using the remaining engine. Reported causes included fuel-related issues and mechanical problems.Captain C S Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, said, 'Primary causes of engine shutdowns include blocked fuel filters, fuel contamination with water, interrupted fuel supply to engines, and foreign objects entering engine stack, all of which can halt flight operations.'From January 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, 11 Mayday calls were issued by aircraft flying in Indian airspace, primarily due to technical issues. Four of these flights landed in Hyderabad. The data does not include an IndiGo flight diverted on June 19 that later reported low fuel shortly before landing in Bengaluru.Anil Rao, secretary of the Airline Pilots' Association of India, said, 'Flight crew initiate MAYDAY calls when confronted with critical emergencies such as aircraft fires, engine failures or situations posing imminent danger, necessitating immediate landing or grounding as continued flight becomes unsafe.'In the wake of the Air India crash, the DGCA has directed all airlines operating Boeing 787 Dreamliner and specific B737 aircraft to inspect the locking mechanism of fuel control switches. These aircraft are operated by carriers such as Air India Group, IndiGo, and SpiceJet.'It has come to the notice of DGCA, that several operators—internationally as well as domestic—have initiated inspection on their aircraft fleet as per the (17 Dec 2018) SAIB.... all airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection (by) no later than July 21, 2025,' the DGCA said.The investigation revealed that both fuel control switches were moved to the 'cutoff' position shortly before the crash. Investigators are examining why and how this occurred, with attention on earlier FAA advisories and cockpit design.The switches are located below the thrust levers and include protective mechanisms to prevent unintentional movement. The AAIB report noted that the pilots appeared uncertain about the switch settings at the time of the incident.Air India confirmed that it had not implemented the FAA's 2018 advisory bulletin, as it was not mandatory. The airline replaced the throttle control module, which houses the fuel switches, twice—once in 2019 and again in 2023.Following the Air India incident , international carriers such as Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines have begun inspecting their aircraft, despite Boeing and FAA maintaining that the switches are safe.