Mayday Mayday Mayday

Most pilots have faced an emergent situation calling prompt and correct response. I, then a Lieutenant, with Lt Shubhranshu (copilot) and Lt Cdr NI Arif(Observer), faced one such situation on 09 Dec 87, during Check Test Flight on Islander, IN-132 at INS Garuda, Cochin.

       After the ATC (Air Traffic Control) / Met briefing at 0730 hrs, we took-off at 0810 hrs, turned downwind climbing to 3000 ft, requested sector South. At 3000 ft, the feathering and unfeathering of the port engine was executed as per Check Test Flight schedule. This involved switching off Port engine and checking climb on stbd engine. After this, slow climbing turn to port was executed towards the airfield. The Port-engine was relit and power checked at various throttle settings. Parameters normal, warning lights off, Starboard engine was feathered (switched off) for a single-engine climb check on port engine. As port throttle was being opened, sudden yaw was felt to left with engine noise dying down. 

Lo! The port engine FAILED. The starboard engine was in switched off condition. No panic yet. I handed over controls to my copilot, aircraft trimmed 65 kts, heading towards Airfield. Attempted to relight Stbd engine. The propeller cranked intermittently, but no pick up. I piped up Mayday call, with intentions ‘dead stick landing’. The altimeter was winding down passing 2500 ft. Attempt was made to restart Port engine, No joy. Attempt to unfeather Starboard engine was also unsuccessful. At 1500 ft it was appreciated that aircraft was below glide path, approach thick with Palm trees. Ditching appeared inevitable. I asked copilot to turn right towards back waters, as I once again attempted relight in vain. Copilot piped “Approaching 500 ft, Ab toh le-lo Sir”. I took over the controls and piped on R/T, “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday…IN 132 both engines failed, ditching 2nm South East”. ATC acknowledged, “ 132 your homing 348”.

       Aircraft glided along the channel towards Cochin sailing club, Crew rehearsed the emergency and escape drill. As altimeter was winding it appeared time compression was taking place. Aircraft was round off into landing attitude, just missing the fishing stakes. Speed washing off, controls held firmly, “Prepare for escape, touching down now”. Aircraft sliced through water, nose plunged down steep, as tail hit the- water. Due sudden instantaneous deceleration, cabin map reading light hit the windscreen shattering it. Water started gushing in the dark cabin. I held my breath and attempted to unbuckle seat belt, which got stuck. Both crew safely escaped out through their emergency windows. Me stuck in Panic...water was soon filling the cockpit. My endurance was at threshold with total Red Out, craving one breath, struggling for one molecule of Oxygen…. “Does THE END happen this way?”...….I entered ‘twilight zone’ connecting the ‘Tunnel of Death’, body almost limp….

     To return from ‘Tunnel of Death’, one requires a ‘Hand of God’….An unknown Force had swung my left elbow onto Left window. Surprisingly, the glass window got dislodged. (Hand of God)… Incidentally, Left window isn’t incorporated with an emergency exit, it's only on copilot’s window. Still holding my breath, keeping ‘Tunnel of Death’ at bay, struggled to loosen my belt. made way through the window and took long deep ‘breath of LIFE’ on the surfacing. The aircraft was submerged with Fin sticking out. Shubhranshu and Arif, who were sitting atop the cabin, were delighted. I was inside Cockpit for 2+ mins. Still, in shock, we shook hands and tried smiling. A lot of fishing boats enveloped us to help. No sign of SAR Helo. Aircraft started sinking nose down, as water filled up in fuselage. We swam towards a ferry and came alongside the south of Cochin.

The boat crew was kind, localites gathered. They had seen our blue-bird disappearing into channel. In our drenched overalls we walked into a Govt school to ring up Ops room Garuda. When Arif contacted Base Ops, he retorted, “Arif, Don’t disturb, Live emergency”, and hung up.  Called again and Base Ops was informed that we were indeed the survivors of the ill-fated aircraft and conveyed our position. The Ops room heaved a sigh of relief since the two SAR helicopter launched at the Mayday call had not sighted the ditched Islander. There was no way they could have. ATC had obtained aircraft’s homing 348, and without converting into bearing, launched SAR helos on bearing 348 from airport 2 NM, the area of Cochin harbour mouth, exactly reciprocal to ditching point. There was greater panic in ATC than cockpit. Ops room on obtaining our position realized the folly of ATC. Immediately helo were diverted. We were winched up by Cdr Chandana and Lt Sihota and brought to ATC.

       We were warmly welcomed by Cdr Dhillon,(Sqdn Cdr) and Cdr G Sharma, Cdr(Air) as helo landed in front of ATC. The PMO soon conducted post-flight medicals and cleared us. Cdr Dhillon got Mrs Shahida Arif picked up, all waiting for us at the sqdn besides entire 550 sqdn. The sparkle in her eyes glittered as she invited us to hot steaming lunch at Katari Bagh.  

       The aircraft was recovered from the channel and brought to South jetty. The BOI, by Cdr SJ Sarma from Goa, grilled the crew next one week to ascertain cause of failure of both engines. Lt IS Deen, technical member put engine parts together to come to logical conclusion. The technical inspection of engines revealed that Port air-induction hose had collapsed in flight leading to failure of port engine and starter developed fault leading to non relight of Stbd engine. This was probably first successful ditching of Islander, where-in the crew having survived, tested ditching characteristics of aircraft realistically.

       A couple of days later during an evening stroll to AED (Air Engineering Department) hangar, I patted on cowling of my Mother Islander – 132, my eyes become moist, for She had ferried many of us, thousands of hours, on innumerable occasions, carrying us in her womb, and now lay helpless injured forever. She seemed to convey her melancholy Best wishes as I uttered her my Final Good-Bye.

*** ‘LUCK’ is the most precious commodity a pilot carries to manage

        – to live – to fly another day. 

Jai Hind