New Delhi: An Air India flight from Delhi to Bengaluru suffered a tail strike while landing at the Kempegowda International Airport Thursday afternoon. This prompted the airline to ground the aircraft, and a probe has been launched by the authorities.
The runway, ThePrint has learnt, was not immediately clear during the first landing attempt. The turbulence generated by prevailing winds and the preceding wide-body aircraft might have contributed to the incident.
AI2651, however, landed safely and all 181 passengers and crew members disembarked without injury. The aircraft has been under detailed technical checks since the incident.
According to an Air India statement, “Flight AI2651 operating from Delhi to Bengaluru on 21 May experienced a tail strike during landing. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally. The aircraft has been grounded for detailed inspection.”
“The incident will be investigated in accordance with established procedures, in coordination with the relevant regulatory authorities,” the statement added.
The tail strike led to the cancellation of the return flight, AI2652, from Bengaluru to Delhi. The airline said it was making alternate arrangements for affected passengers. “Our ground teams in Bengaluru are providing all necessary assistance,” said the AI statement.
Sources told ThePrint that the aircraft likely encountered wake turbulence during landing. They pointed to gusty winds and the preceding departure of a wide-body Boeing 747 aircraft from the same runway.
An official confirmed that a B747 had just taken off and caused wind disturbances when the AI flight was about to land. The tail strike occurred during the second attempt.
The DGCA or the Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet commented on the incident’s details.
A similar incident involved an IndiGo ATR-72 aircraft in December 2025. It suffered a tail strike while landing at Ranchi airport. The cancellation of the return flight and the grounding of the aircraft for an inspection followed.
At the Chennai international airport, an Airbus A321 experienced a tail strike during landing on 8 March. It led to serious damage to the aircraft.
According to aviation experts, most tail strikes do not immediately endanger passengers if handled correctly. However, damage to the aircraft’s body or pressure bulkhead can pose long-term safety risks.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)