An Air India aircraft operating on the Delhi-Bengaluru route scraped against the runway during an attempted landing at Bengaluru airport on Thursday before executing a go-around, officials said. The incident has prompted an investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), while the aircraft has been grounded for inspection.
The flight, AI-2651, was operating from Delhi to Bengaluru when the tail portion of the aircraft reportedly made contact with the runway during landing. According to airline officials, the aircraft landed safely afterwards and all passengers and crew members disembarked normally without any injuries.
In a statement, Air India confirmed the occurrence and said the aircraft has been withdrawn from service for detailed technical checks.
“A tail-strike occurred during landing. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally. The aircraft has been grounded for detailed inspection,” the airline said.
A tail-strike is an aviation incident in which the rear section of an aircraft touches the runway during take-off or landing, usually because of excessive nose-up attitude or unstable wind conditions. Such incidents can potentially damage the aircraft structure and require comprehensive safety inspections before the aircraft can return to operations.
Officials familiar with the matter said the pilots operating the flight have been temporarily taken off duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
According to another airline official, the incident may have been triggered by wake turbulence caused by a larger aircraft departing shortly before the Air India flight attempted to land. A cargo Boeing 747 had reportedly taken off moments earlier, creating turbulent airflow conditions around the runway area.
The Air India Airbus A321 encountered the disturbance while descending for landing, forcing the pilots to perform a go-around manoeuvre after the tail strike incident, the official added.
The grounding of the aircraft also led to the cancellation of the return Bengaluru-Delhi service, AI-2652. Air India said alternative travel arrangements are being made for affected passengers and assistance is being provided by ground staff at Bengaluru airport.
The DGCA is expected to examine flight data recorder inputs, cockpit procedures, weather conditions and air traffic control coordination as part of the investigation into the incident.
