Once again, an Air India flight faces mechanical failure midair. The emergency air turbine was activated mid-flight on an Air India aircraft traveling from Amritsar to Birmingham. Despite the activation of the RAT (Ram Air Turbine), the plane managed to land safely in Birmingham. However, the flight is currently grounded. It has been announced that a decision regarding subsequent flights will only be made after a thorough inspection of the aircraft. The flight was scheduled to continue from Birmingham to New Delhi, but which has been canceled.
On Saturday, mechanical issues were detected on Air India's Boeing 787 aircraft en route from Amritsar to Birmingham. Reports indicate that the plane's RAT was unexpectedly activated just before landing on Saturday. Typically, the Ram Air Turbine or RAT system automatically activates when both of the aircraft's engines fail or when the entire electrical or hydraulic system becomes inoperative. It uses airflow to generate energy, keeping the aircraft operational. The flight subsequently landed normally at its destination. However, the airline is investigating why the RAT was activated mid-flight. Although airline sources claim that all hydraulic systems of the aircraft were functioning normally, and both the engine and hydraulic systems were operating as expected, asserting there were no faults.
Air India, owned by the Tata Group, stated in a release, 'On October 4, 2025, the operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham noticed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) had activated during the aircraft's descent. However, at that time, all electrical and hydraulic systems were functioning normally, and the aircraft landed safely in Birmingham.'
Nevertheless, the airline has not shared any specific information about the Amritsar-Birmingham flight in question. Even details regarding the number of passengers on board have not been disclosed.
