Aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will investigate the unexpected and uncommanded deployment of the ram air turbine (RAT) - a last-resort emergency power system - of an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft on Saturday.

“On 04.10.2025 Air India B787-8 aircraft VT-ANO operated flight AI-117 (Amritsar- Birmingham). During landing at 400ft RAT unlock message came and RAT got deployed. Pilot did not report of any related abnormality. aircraft landed safely. Boeing recommended maintainance actions for uncommanded RAT deployment have been carried out and no discrepancy has been observed. Aircraft is being released for service. Boeing has issued FLEET TEAM DIGEST containing brief of previous such cases. The matter requires detailed investigation. An officer from DAS(NR) has been assigned this investigation,” DGCA stated.

FIP calls for inspection of electrical systems on all 787s

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written an email to the aviation body, reiterating the need for a comprehensive inspection of the electrical systems of Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India. In a written email to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the FIP highlighted a recent incident involving Air India flight AI-117 from Amritsar to Birmingham (VT-ANO).

According to the FIP, during the approach to Birmingham, the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) automatically deployed at 500 feet. The Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) system detected a fault in the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), which may have triggered the RAT deployment. Despite this, all electrical and hydraulic parameters were reported normal, and the aircraft landed safely. The plane has since been grounded at Birmingham for further checks.

The FIP emphasised that, since the introduction of the B-787 in India, multiple incidents involving its electrical systems have been reported. "We have strongly urged MoCA and AAIB to conduct a thorough examination of the electrical systems of all B-787 aircraft in the country," the email wrote.

Highlighting the potential link to the previous Air India-171 crash, the FIP said,“In the interest of air safety, DGCA must carry out a detailed investigation of the B-787 electrical systems.”

A day earlier, Air India flight AI117, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed safely in Birmingham after the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed during its final approach. The airline confirmed that all electrical and hydraulic systems were functioning normally. The flight took off from Amritsar on October 4. 

The flight landed safely at Birmingham, and no passengers or crew were injured. The aircraft was grounded for further inspections.

(With inputs from ANI)

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