At 17,000 feet above the ground, an IndiGo aircraft flying from Patna to Lucknow was struck by lightning before severe weather, including a hailstorm, caused damage to its nose during the landing phase.

Despite the alarming mid-air incident, the aircraft landed safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Wednesday, with all 104 passengers and six crew members on board reported safe.

IndiGo flight 6E 625, operating from Patna to Lucknow on October 7, carried 104 passengers and six crew members when it encountered unfavorable weather, including a hailstorm during landing.

The aircraft’s radome, the protective structure covering the nose-mounted radar, was damaged in the incident.

Despite the damage, the aircraft landed safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, eight minutes ahead of its scheduled arrival time. All 110 people on board, including passengers and crew, were reported safe.

The aircraft was subsequently grounded and will remain out of service until the necessary maintenance work is completed and regulatory clearances are obtained.

IndiGo confirms lightning strike, weather conditions

An IndiGo spokesperson said the aircraft encountered unfavourable weather, including a hailstorm, while landing. The airline said the radome was damaged and that it informed the relevant authorities immediately.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into the incident. The aircraft will be permitted to resume operations only after receiving the required regulatory clearance.

The incident comes amid another recent weather-related IndiGo aircraft incident.

Another IndiGo aircraft grounded after tail strike

Last month, an IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Bengaluru made abnormal runway contact while landing at Kempegowda International Airport.

The A321neo aircraft, operating flight 6E 6542, struck its tail during landing amid gusty weather. IndiGo described the incident as an ‘Abnormal Runway Contact’ and said it subsequently grounded the aircraft.

The airline had attributed the incident to bad weather.

While both incidents involved different types of aircraft damage, the latest episode again highlights the challenges airlines face when operating in adverse weather, particularly during the critical landing phase.