The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered an investigation into an incident where a part of an aircraft engine was found outside Delhi airport, sources revealed on Wednesday. The metal piece is suspected to belong to an Air India Express aircraft that made an emergency landing on Monday, though the airline has not yet confirmed the origin of the part.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the engine part is believed to be from a broken blade. The DGCA is actively investigating the matter to determine the exact cause and nature of the incident.
The flight in question was en route to Bahrain when the emergency occurred. The aircraft’s crew followed standard procedures to manage the engine failure and safely conducted a precautionary landing at Delhi airport.
A spokesperson for Air India Express confirmed that the incident has been reported to the relevant regulatory and investigative authorities. “We are aware of reports of metal pieces being found at Shankar Vihar. At this time, we cannot confirm if these pieces are from our aircraft. The investigation is ongoing to establish the facts,” the spokesperson said.
The investigation was initiated after a resident of Vasant Vihar, Shivani Pathak, reported finding metal debris near her house. Pathak, a captain in the Indian Army, informed the authorities that she had observed an aircraft passing over the area, followed by metal pieces falling to the ground. She presented a small black-colored metal fragment to the police.
A police official confirmed that a technical team would analyze the metal pieces to determine whether they came from the same aircraft involved in the emergency landing. A case has been registered, and a thorough investigation is underway in coordination with airport authorities.
The aviation regulator, along with the Delhi Police, is working to identify the source of the metal debris and assess the safety implications of the incident.
