The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will launch an investigation into an “uncommanded” deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Amritsar to Birmingham. The mid-air incident occurred on October 4, when the RAT was deployed moments before landing in the UK.
According to officials, the RAT was deployed at around 400 feet during the aircraft’s final approach. However, the pilot did not report any operational discrepancies, PTI reported. The RAT is deployed automatically or manually during major system failures to supply emergency hydraulic and electrical power for essential flight controls and help the flight land safely.
“The maintenance actions for uncommanded RAT deployment recommended by Boeing have been carried out, and no discrepancy was observed, the official said and added that the aircraft is being released for service,” the official was quoted by the agency as saying.
Although the plane landed safely, it was grounded for further inspection. The incident involved aircraft VT-ANO, operating as flight AI117.
What did Air India say?
In a statement, Air India confirmed that the RAT was deployed during the flight’s final approach to Birmingham.
“The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on 04 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 statement read.
It added that the aircraft has been grounded for additional checks: “The aircraft has been grounded for further checks and consequently, AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi has been cancelled and alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate the guests.”
FIP wrote to DGCA
Following the incident, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) urged the DGCA to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the electrical systems across all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India.
“Ram Air Turbine mainly deploys when there is a total failure of all three hydraulic systems, total electrical system failure or both engine failures, and there are some other things which can deploy it. This can be deployed only when the aircraft is in the air, not on the ground,” FIP president, Captain CS Randhawa, explained.
He also said that in his entire career, he has never seen or heard RAT getting deployed on any aircraft when everything is normal.
India currently operates 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners under Air India’s fleet, while IndiGo also leases a few of the aircraft.
This comes on the heels of a recent incident, where the Air India flight crashed moments after takeoff from the Ahmedabad Airport.
Captain Randhawa speculated that electrical failures could have played a role in that crash, though he emphasised that the final report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will provide clarity, PTI reported.