Cargo container sucked into Air India A350 aircraft engine: DGCA

An Air India A350 suffered major engine damage at Delhi airport after a cargo container fell onto the taxiway and was ingested during taxiing, prompting a DGCA probe into ground-handling safety

An Air India A350 aircraft operating a Delhi-New York flight suffered serious engine damage at Delhi airport early Wednesday after a cargo container fell onto the taxiway and was sucked into the aircraft’s engine during ground movement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Thursday.

 

Flight AI101, operated by the airline’s A350 aircraft (registration code VT-JRB), returned to the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning following the closure of the Iranian airspace. It landed safely on Runway 28 and was moving on the ground towards the parking area around 5.25 am, when the incident took place. 

 

As per the regulator, when the plane was taxiing towards the apron area, at taxiway N/N4 junction, the number 2 engine “ingested a cargo container causing substantial damage to number 2 engine”.

   

“As per information, the visibility at the time of incident was marginal,” it added. 

Preliminary findings indicated that the damage was caused by a ground-handling vehicle carrying cargo containers. “The preliminary investigation has revealed that a BWFS (Bird Worldwide Flight Services) tug transporting a few containers to baggage makeup area of terminal 3 crossed this intersection while on the vehicular lane. During crossing, one of the containers toppled onto the taxiway intersection. This container got ingested in number two engine of Air India A350 aircraft,” the DGCA stated.

 

The BWFS is one of the leading ground handling companies of India.

 

After the debris was removed, the aircraft was taken out of service. “After clearing metal pieces, the aircraft was parked on stand 244,” the DGCA said. 

The aviation regulator said a detailed investigation into the incident is ongoing.

 

The Airbus A350 is a long-haul, wide-body aircraft designed for international operations and is among the newest aircraft in Air India’s fleet. It is primarily deployed on ultra-long-haul routes, including services to North America and Europe, where range, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort are critical. Damage to an A350 aircraft engine has operational implications as the jet cannot return to service until detailed inspections, repairs and regulatory approvals are completed.