Air India Flight From Mumbai To Bengaluru Returns After Engine Stall, Crew Declares ‘PAN PAN’

An Air India flight bound for Bengaluru was forced to return to Mumbai airport shortly after takeoff on Thursday after one of its engines stalled mid-air, prompting the pilots to issue a “PAN PAN” emergency call, officials familiar with the matter said.

The incident involved flight AI 2812, an Airbus A320 Neo, which was originally scheduled to depart Mumbai at 2:05 am. The aircraft took off around 2:15 am but returned to the airport at approximately 2:35 am.

According to officials, passengers reported feeling water leakage inside the cabin during takeoff. Some also heard a loud sound and saw sparks coming from the aircraft as it climbed.

“The pilot declared PAN PAN and returned to the airport a few minutes after takeoff,” said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It was later determined that engine number 2 had stalled.”

A local standby was declared at Mumbai airport as a precaution, and the flight landed safely.

In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said, “Flight AI2812 from Mumbai to Bengaluru on 9 April returned to Mumbai shortly after take-off as a precaution due to a suspected technical issue, in accordance with standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely and is undergoing detailed technical inspections.”

The spokesperson added, “We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers. Our Mumbai airport teams provided immediate assistance, and an alternative aircraft was arranged to operate the flight. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain Air India’s top priority.”

The airline has not reported any injuries. Further investigation into the cause of the engine stall is underway.