Air India Colombo–Chennai flight suffers bird hit, grounded

An Air India Colombo-Chennai flight with 158 passengers onboard suffered a bird hit on Tuesday (October 7), following which the airline cancelled its return journey.

Airport authorities said that the aircraft landed safely and all the passengers were unscathed and safely disembarked from the aircraft.

Aircraft grounded

They further revealed that a bird hit was detected after the aircraft landed in Chennai, following which the aircraft was grounded. The aircraft has been subjected to extensive checks by the Air India engineers, and the airline officials cancelled its return journey due to the incident. Airport authorities said that Air India arranged another aircraft for 137 passengers who later left for Colombo.

“On 7 October, the flight crew of AI273 operating from Chennai to Colombo, reported a suspected bird strike. After landing at Colombo, the engineers who inspected the aircraft found no damage, and the aircraft was cleared for operation. The same aircraft operated flight AI274 from Colombo to Chennai as per schedule. Upon routine post-flight checks at Chennai, the engineers observed an impact on an engine blade. Consequently, the aircraft has been grounded for further inspections and to ascertain the cause of the damage," an Air India spokesperson said

Also Read: After latest Air India scare, pilots urge DGCA to check all Boeing 787 planes

RAT suddenly deployed in Air India flight

Earlier, an Air India flight from Amritsar, Punjab, to Birmingham, England experienced a significant mid-air scare on Saturday when the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed unexpectedly during its landing approach.

Flight AI117, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was on its final approach to Birmingham Airport when the crew detected the deployment of the RAT system.

According to a statement from Air India, "All electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing at Birmingham."

RAT systems serve as emergency backup mechanisms, automatically activated in situations where an aircraft loses primary electrical power. Fortunately, in this instance, the aircraft did not lose power entirely, allowing for a safe landing.

Also Read: Fresh scare on Air India Boeing 787 as emergency system deploys during landing

Following the incident, the aircraft was grounded for further inspections, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced that it would be conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deployment of the RAT.

The crew reported no injuries and confirmed that all passengers safely disembarked upon landing.

Also Read: Supreme Court to examine fairness of Air India crash probe

Air India Express incident

An Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi on September 22 witnessed a midair scare when a passenger attempted to access the cockpit while searching for the lavatory.

The individual approached the cockpit door but was unable to open it due to security measures requiring a passcode. The flight crew promptly guided the passenger back to their seat.

Upon landing, the passenger, who was with a group of eight, was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Air India Express reassured that its safety protocols remained intact and stated the incident was reported to the relevant authorities for investigation.

(With agency inputs)