Air India Jet Makes Emergency Landing at Birmingham — Just Months After Separate Fatal Crash with Only One Survivor

An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Amritsar to Birmingham made a tense but safe emergency landing on 4 October 2025, after its ram air turbine (RAT), a last-resort backup power system, unexpectedly deployed on final approach.

The aircraft touched down safely and was immediately taken out of service for inspection, according to the airline and preliminary aviation records.

What Happened During the Birmingham Flight

The flight's RAT deployed at roughly 400 feet above the runway, triggering an emergency alert. Air India confirmed in a statement that 'all electrical and hydraulic parameters were found normal' and that the aircraft 'performed a safe landing at Birmingham'.

No injuries were reported among passengers or crew; however, the incident prompted a comprehensive technical review by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India.

The DGCA stated that early findings indicate no system faults or maintenance irregularities, although RAT activation under normal conditions is 'highly unusual'.

What the Ram Air Turbine Does — and Why It Matters

The RAT is a deployable mini-turbine that generates power in the event of an aircraft's central electrical or hydraulic systems failing. Usually, it stays stowed inside the fuselage.
Its deployment signals an emergency — typically only triggered by a catastrophic loss of power.

Aviation analysts told the Aviation Herald that such deployment during landing suggests a false trigger or sensor malfunction. While the aircraft landed safely, pilots say that any uncommanded RAT deployment warrants a thorough technical audit, as it could indicate systemic issues.

Pilot Unions Call for Broader Checks

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the DGCA to inspect all Boeing 787s in Indian fleets. In a letter reviewed by The Hindu Business Line, the union described the RAT incident as 'alarming in light of recent tragedies'.

Some pilots have called for the temporary grounding of select 787s until the root cause is identified, arguing that repeated RAT deployments may indicate deeper electrical vulnerabilities.

The DGCA has not announced grounding orders but has requested Boeing to assist in diagnostic checks.

The June 2025 Crash: A Tragic Precedent

The latest incident comes just months after an Air India 787 crash in June 2025, which killed 241 of 242 people aboard an Ahmedabad–London flight. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found preliminary evidence that the fuel control switches on both engines moved from RUN to CUTOFF seconds after takeoff, cutting power to both engines.

Families of victims have filed lawsuits in the United States against Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that the switch design was defective.

The lone survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, described flickering lights and severe vibrations moments before the aircraft plunged. Both manufacturers claim that their equipment complies with all relevant safety and regulatory standards.

Renewed Scrutiny of the Boeing 787 Fleet

The Birmingham emergency has revived scrutiny of Boeing's 787 reliability record, particularly within Air India's fleet, which has experienced several maintenance and electrical anomalies in recent years.

While this latest flight ended safely, aviation analysts warn that recurrent emergency activations — even when contained — erode public confidence.

For regulators, the two events underscore a stark truth: the margin for error in modern aviation is vanishingly thin, and even backup systems behaving as designed can sow new doubts about an aircraft's resilience.