DGCA to investigate RAT deployment incident on AI Boeing 787

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will conduct a detailed investigation into the unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft shortly before landing at Birmingham Airport on Saturday, a senior official confirmed.

The incident occurred during the final approach of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on 4 October 2025, when the RAT deployed at around 400 feet altitude. The device, which generates emergency power using wind speed, is designed to deploy automatically in the event of a dual engine failure or a complete hydraulic or electronic system failure.

According to a senior DGCA official, “RAT got deployed during landing of the plane at 400 feet but the pilot did not report any related abnormality.”

Air India also issued a statement on Sunday, saying:

"The operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on 4 October 2025 detected deployment of 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."

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The airline, however, did not disclose how many passengers or crew were on board.

The DGCA official added that Boeing’s recommended maintenance checks for uncommanded RAT deployment had been carried out, and no discrepancies were observed. The aircraft has since been cleared for service.

Despite the safe landing, the DGCA has confirmed that it will proceed with a full investigation to determine the root cause of the uncommanded deployment.