Air India RAT Deployment On Amritsar-Birmingham Flight 'Uncommanded', Clarifies Airline
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that the DGCA is investigating the incident. He added, “Whenever these kinds of incidents happen, we try to find out the root cause."
- Air India flight's emergency turbine deployed uncommanded, no fault found.
- Ram Air Turbine deployment occurred during final approach; all systems normal.
- Aircraft landed safely, and DGCA is thoroughly investigating the incident.
Air India has confirmed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment on flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on 4 October 2025 was ‘uncommanded’. The airline clarified that the deployment was neither due to a system fault nor pilot action, and all electrical and hydraulic systems remained normal throughout the flight. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed safely at Birmingham Airport, and no passengers or crew were injured.
An Air India spokesperson said, “The operating crew detected the deployment of the RAT during the final approach. All electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal, and the aircraft performed a safe landing. The aircraft has been grounded for further inspections, and AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi was temporarily cancelled. Alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate affected passengers.”
Air India has also notified the Indian aviation regulator, DGCA, about the occurrence and has submitted the preliminary report to the regulator in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. The aircraft was subsequently cleared for service, and it operated from Birmingham to Delhi on 5 October.
Reacting to the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that the DGCA is investigating the incident. “Whenever these kinds of incidents happen, we try to find out the root cause and a thorough study is being conducted with all stakeholders and OEMs,” he told reporters.
The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that no discrepancies were observed in preliminary checks and the aircraft has been cleared for service. Boeing’s recommended maintenance procedures for uncommanded RAT deployment were completed, and an officer from DAS(NR) has been assigned to carry out a detailed investigation. The DGCA also said, "no discrepancy has been observed and the aircraft is being released for service."
The Ram Air Turbine is a fold-out emergency device that provides essential electrical and hydraulic power if main systems fail. In this case, the deployment was consistent with similar uncommanded RAT occurrences reported by Boeing in the past.
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