IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Bangalore suffered a tail strike on landing at Kempegowda International Airport, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been notified of the incident. The flight was approaching Bengaluru in its final moments and the weather conditions could not be controlled, but all passengers and crew members were safely on board.
The aircraft was operating IndiGo flight 6E 6542 from Guwahati to Bengaluru. According to reports, the crew stopped the initial landing approach and performed a go-around. The rear section of the Airbus A321 touched the runway in the next manoeuvre and landed safely.
IndiGo described the incident as "abnormal runway contact" and said it happened as the plane was landing during gusty weather at Kempegowda International Airport. All customers and crew were safe and had disembarked safely, the airline said.
The aircraft has been taken out of service and is currently being checked for maintenance and technical issues. IndiGo said all relevant authorities had been informed in line with standard operating procedures. Only after the required inspections and clearances are completed will the aircraft come back into service.
The DGCA has launched a probe into the incident. The landing approach, the subsequent go-around and runway contact were to be investigated. Regulatory authorities will also assess the aircraft's technical condition and operational aspects of the incident to determine whether further action is needed.
A tail strike happens when the rear part of an aircraft touches the runway surface when take-off, landing and other low altitude manoeuvres are performed. This is a critical inspection process and engineers must check whether any structural or other damage has occurred before the airplane can return to commercial service.
The aircraft was an Airbus A321, a tail-strike-prone model. Tail strikes can occur in a variety of phases of operation, including landing and go-around, have been reported in aviation media. A go-around close to the runway can be particularly dynamic as a very fast transition from an approach to a climb occurs.
The Bengaluru incident also comes at a time when the tail-strike occurrences involving IndiGo aircraft are being watched closely. After discussions with the aviation regulator, the airline has emphasized training pilots in this area, the company said.
There were no casualties or injuries reported in Bengaluru and there was no loss of life or injury in the Bengaluru incident. The successful second landing of the plane allowed passengers and crew to safely leave the flight to return to the airport, and the airline conducted technical checks in time. An alternative aircraft was arranged for the Bengaluru-Coimbatore sector to minimize any disruption to subsequent operations.
The DGCA investigation will provide further clarification on the reason for the abnormal runway contact and if there were any operational, weather or technical reasons behind the tail strike. The exact cause of the incident remains to be investigated.
