Air India Dreamliner Safely Lands After Emergency Turbine Deployment

BIRMINGHAM, UK — An Air India Dreamliner experienced an unexpected emergency in mid-descent on October 4, 2025, when its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed during the final approach to Birmingham. Despite the turbulence, flight AI117, which was traveling from Amritsar, landed safely at 7:00 PM local time.

According to an official statement from Air India, the crew detected the RAT deployment as the aircraft descended to 400 feet. The airline assured that all electrical and hydraulic systems were functioning normally at the time of landing.

The RAT is a backup power system that deploys automatically when the aircraft loses power. It generates emergency electricity to sustain essential systems like hydraulics, flight controls, and cockpit instruments. Senior pilots revealed that RAT deployment typically indicates serious issues such as dual engine failure or complete hydraulic failure, but it appears this instance was due to a system anomaly.

Air India confirmed further inspections are underway to determine why the RAT was activated when systems showed no defects. The airline stated, “The safety of passengers and crew remains our top priority.” Following this incident, the return flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi was canceled, with alternative arrangements being made for passengers.

Notably, this incident follows a tragic event in June 2025, when a similar aircraft type was involved in a crash in Ahmedabad due to engine failures that also triggered RAT deployment. Preliminary investigations suggested that a fuel supply cut-off led to that situation. While the recent incident didn’t create immediate danger, safety experts have expressed concern over the abnormal deployment, prompting a detailed review of the circumstances.