An Air India flight suffered a tail-strike during landing at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Thursday morning [1, 2, 3, 4].
Tail-strikes occur when the rear fuselage of an aircraft contacts the runway, potentially causing structural damage that requires the plane to be grounded for inspection. This incident highlights the critical nature of landing stability and the impact of environmental factors on aircraft safety.
Flight AI2651 was traveling from Delhi to Bengaluru when the incident occurred [2, 3, 4]. There were 181 passengers on board the aircraft [4]. Despite the contact with the runway, the plane landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally [1, 2, 3].
Preliminary reports suggest the tail-strike may have been caused by wake turbulence [3, 2]. Wake turbulence is the disturbed air left behind by another aircraft, which can cause instability for following planes during the final stages of flight.
"The crew followed all standard operating procedures and landed the aircraft safely at Delhi airport. All passengers and crew are safe and have disembarked normally," an Air India spokesperson said [1]. Note: While one report mentioned Delhi, other sources confirm the landing occurred in Bengaluru [2, 3, 4].
Air India has grounded the aircraft to assess the damage. The airline said the matter will be investigated in accordance with established procedures and in coordination with the relevant regulatory authorities [2].
"All passengers and crew remain safe," the Air India spokesperson said [3].
“All 181 passengers and crew are safe”
A tail-strike is a serious aviation occurrence that necessitates a thorough structural integrity check to ensure the airframe has not been compromised. If wake turbulence is confirmed as the cause, the investigation may focus on whether the required separation distances between arriving aircraft were maintained at Kempegowda International Airport.
