Air India Express engine catches fire on take off

AIR INDIA BOEING 787-8 VT-ANZ (MSN 36297) 

An Air India Express Boeing 737 aircraft travelling from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH/OMAA) to Kozhikode-Calicut Airport (CCJ/VOCL) had to make an emergency landing back at Abu Dhabi airport after it suffered a no. 1 engine flameout at approximatley 1,000 ft during the climb after takeoff from Abu Dhabi.

IX348 departed Abu Dhabi from 13R at 2.10am climbed to 1,750 and landed 20 minutes later again on 13R at 2.30.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said the flight which had a total of 147 passengers on board landed safely and none of the passengers were hurt during the incident. Air India Express told ANI news agency that soon after taking off, the pilot detected a flame when the plane was at about 1,000 feet high. The airline said that the fire was detected in one of the engines and hence the people in charge made the decision to land the flight back to Abu Dhabi airport.

"Today an Air India Express B737-800 aircraft VT-AYC operating flight IX 348 was involved in Air turnback due to the No. 1 engine flameout at 1,000 ft during the climb," DGCA said in a statement.

It's not just technical snags and engine flameouts, in December 2022, a snake was found on a Dubai-bound Air India Express flight. However, the report of a snake on board came when the flight had already landed at Dubai airport. 

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air India Express

Code: IX/AXB

Aircraft: Boeing 737-8HG

Registration: VT-AYC

Serial Number: 36339

Engine: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B27

First Flew: 18/09/2009.

Age: 13 Yrs 4 Mts