BackInflight-shutdown of PW engine on Airbus 320neo revives safety concerns
GoAir had in September faced an in-flight shutdown of one of its engines forcing pilots to land the aircraft on a single operational engine
PremiumNew Delhi: GoAir faced a mid-flight shutdown of one of its Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines in September, forcing pilots to land the Airbus A320neo on a single engine, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
The incident revives safety concerns over the engines that have been plagued by technical problems since 2016.
The incident occurred on flight G8-710 of the no-frills carrier from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad on 19 September.
“GoAir’s Airbus A320 Neo aircraft (registration VT-WGK) reported commanded inflight shutdown of one of its engines while operating between Hyderabad and Ahmedabad on the night of 19 September," said one of the people, requesting anonymity.
However, this wasn’t an issue with Low Pressure Turbine or a vibration-related snag, which had caused several issues to the airlines before the regulator ordered the engine maker to replace older engines with modified ones.
Both Pratt and Whitney engines of the aircraft, VT-WGK, have been modified by the company.
Regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is looking into faults in the engine’s heat-management and oil systems as possible causes for the shutdown, the person added.
A GoAir spokesperson didn’t offer a comment. An Airbus spokesperson declined to comment. A Pratt and Whitney India spokesperson also declined to comment as the matter is under investigation.
Following several glitches in its engines powering A320neo planes, and after being directed by the aviation regulator, P&W replaced all the older engines powering the Airbus A320neo fleet operated by India’s largest airline IndiGo. IndiGo has about 134 Airbus A320neo family planes in its fleet.
However, this modification had been carried out on only 30 of the 46 Pratt & Whitney-engine powered A320neo aircraft operated by GoAir as of 15 September. While only IndiGo and GoAir operate P&W powered Airbus A320neo planes in India, DGCA only allows such planes with modified engines to fly.
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