An Air India Delhi-Bengaluru flight suffered a “tail strike” during landing; plane grounded — what we know so far | Today’s news
An Air India flight from Delhi to Bengaluru suffered a “tail strike” while landing at the Bengaluru airport on Thursday, May 21. The plane landed safely and all passengers and crew disembarked normally, an airline spokesman said.
Following the incident, the aircraft was grounded and the return flight (from Bengaluru to Delhi) was cancelled. The airline said: “Alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate affected passengers as soon as possible.”
Read also | Air India Boeing 787 grounded due to faulty fuel control switch
“Air India flight AI2651 operating from Delhi to Bengaluru on May 21 experienced a tail strike during landing. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew disembarked normally,” the spokeswoman said.
The official added: “The aircraft was grounded for detailed inspection.”
The statement further assured that the incident will be investigated in accordance with established procedures “in coordination with relevant regulatory authorities”.
Read also | Air India cuts international network – What to do if your flight is cancelled
“Consequently, the return flight AI2652 from Bengaluru to Delhi has been cancelled. Alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the affected passengers as soon as possible,” the statement added.
“Our ground teams in Bengaluru are providing all necessary assistance. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,” an Air India spokesperson said.
What is a tail flick?
A tail impact occurs during take-off, landing or go-around when the position of the aircraft is such that the tail touches the runway, which can subsequently lead to consequences such as loss of control (LOC), run-off (RE), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) explained in its 2025 report.
According to IATA’s annual safety report, the industry saw 38 tail strikes rated as accidents between 2020 and mid-2025.
Read also | Air India is cutting flights as conflict in West Asia raises fuel costs and weakens demand
The report provides access to Tail Strikes accident data, both globally and regionally. It is a valuable source of information on accident precursor trends and patterns, enabling members to gain insights for proactive risk management activities.
Are tail strikes lethal?
IATA states that although the risk of fatalities is usually low, these events can cause significant aircraft damage, repair costs, aircraft downtime, increased utilization of repair service organization capacity and loss of revenue.
In the Boeing 747 accident, according to Skybrary, a poorly repaired pressure bulkhead that was damaged by a tailplane impact led to the loss of the vertical stabilizer in flight and the plane’s subsequent crash seven years later.
Read also | Tata Airlines is betting the turbulence is temporary, protecting jobs to prove it
The case of the Turkish Airlines Airbus A321neo
An official investigation has found that excessive nose-up rotation during a low-altitude pass caused the tail of a Turkish Airlines Airbus A321neo to crash at Dublin Airport last October, ANI reported.
Airbus A321-271NX (registration TC-LTL), carrying 103 passengers and 7 crew, was landing on runway 28L on 18 October 2024 when it veered to the left of the center line due to sudden wind changes.
After landing briefly on the left main landing gear, the aircraft bounced slightly, touched both main landing gear again, and the captain immediately called for a go-around.
Read also | Air India clocks annual loss as turnaround plans threatened
The first officer flying responded by pulling the side stick all the way back and moving the thrusters to full take-off/go-around (TOGA) thrust. The aircraft’s bank angle increased sharply, the “PITCH PITCH” audible warning sounded, and the tail surface hit the runway just before the aircraft took off again.
The aircraft circled back, landed normally 13 minutes later and all passengers safely disembarked. However, the tail sustained significant damage, including a 3.4-meter-long crack at the bottom and cracks in the support structure, some inside the fuselage’s pressurized section, the report added.
(With input from agencies)