Air India Boeing 787 Makes Emergency Landing After Ram Air Turbine Deployment: Safety Concerns Amid Previous Crash Investigation

Alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the passengers.

Mumbai:

The operating crew of Air India's Amritsar-Birmingham flight reported that the Boeing 787's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) unexpectedly deployed during the final approach on October 4, but the aircraft landed safely, the airline stated on Saturday.

RAT deploys automatically in cases of dual engine failure or complete electronic or hydraulic failure. It utilizes wind speed to generate emergency power.

Air India announced the cancellation of its Birmingham-Delhi flight as the aircraft has been grounded for thorough inspection.

"The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on 4 October 2025 detected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) of the aircraft during its final approach. All electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing at Birmingham," the Tata Group-owned Air India said in their official statement.

The airline did not disclose specific details, including the number of passengers and crew on board.

Alternative arrangements are currently being made to accommodate the affected passengers, according to Air India's statement.

It's worth noting that both engine failures or hydraulic/electrical failures or software malfunctions are being cited among several probable causes of the Air India Boeing 787 plane crash that occurred in June this year.

On June 12, Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI 171 en route to London Gatwick crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulting in 260 fatalities, including 241 people who were on board the plane.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently investigating the crash.

The AAIB in its preliminary report released in July this year revealed that the engine fuel control switches of the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 plane were cut off seconds after lift off, with one pilot questioning why the other cut off the switches, and the latter responding that he had not done so.

In its 15-page preliminary report on the crash, which occurred approximately 30 seconds after the plane lifted off, the AAIB stated that while the fuel control switches were later switched back on, the deceleration in one of the engines could not be stopped.

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has maintained silence regarding one of the deadliest air crashes in India in the last three decades.