The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a detailed investigation into the uncommanded mid-air deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on Air India Flight AI 117, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating from Amritsar to Birmingham. The incident occurred on Sunday, and although the aircraft landed safely, authorities have treated the occurrence with seriousness due to its potential safety implications.
According to officials, the RAT — a small turbine that automatically deploys to generate emergency power in case of total engine or electrical failure — unexpectedly activated when the plane was at an altitude of around 400 feet, moments before touchdown in Birmingham. The system is typically triggered only during complete power loss situations, raising concerns about a possible technical malfunction or sensor error.
Air India confirmed that all hydraulic and electrical systems were fully operational during the flight and after landing, indicating that there was no actual power failure or safety threat. Nonetheless, in adherence to standard operating procedures, the aircraft was immediately grounded for inspection to ensure there were no hidden mechanical or software issues that could compromise flight safety in the future.
The DGCA stated that Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, was promptly informed of the incident. Boeing engineers provided maintenance recommendations for addressing uncommanded RAT deployment. After the airline performed the prescribed checks, no technical discrepancies were found, and the aircraft was subsequently cleared for service return. However, DGCA’s Air Safety Department has assigned an officer to conduct an independent inquiry to determine whether the event was caused by system malfunction, human error, or maintenance oversight.
Boeing’s preliminary report has confirmed that the aircraft remains structurally and functionally airworthy, and that the RAT’s deployment did not affect flight safety. The manufacturer has also advised Air India to implement additional precautionary measures during future inspections of similar Dreamliner models.
This incident has drawn attention partly because the same aircraft model, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was involved in the Ahmedabad air crash earlier this year in June, where the RAT had also been deployed following an engine shutdown caused by a fuel supply cutoff. The interim probe into that crash concluded that the RAT had performed as designed, supplying emergency power during the engine failure sequence.
Given this background, aviation experts have expressed concern over two consecutive RAT deployment incidents involving the same aircraft model, even if unrelated. The DGCA has therefore decided to expand the scope of its probe to review Boeing’s RAT system reliability, maintenance logs, and sensor calibration procedures across Air India’s Dreamliner fleet.
The aviation regulator has reassured passengers that the occurrence posed no threat to flight safety and that the investigation is a preventive step to rule out any systemic flaws. The aircraft will remain under enhanced observation for subsequent flights, and findings from the ongoing inquiry are expected to be submitted to the DGCA headquarters in New Delhi within the next few weeks.
