DGCA Questions Boeing Over Air India 787 After RAT Deployment Incident

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a detailed explanation from Boeing after an unusual incident involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner earlier this month. Flight AI-117 from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced an uncommanded deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) while landing at Birmingham Airport.

The incident occurred on October 4, when aircraft VT-ANO received a RAT unlock warning about 400 feet before landing. The emergency turbine, designed to deploy only during a power loss, activated unexpectedly. However, the pilots did not report any anomalies, and the aircraft landed safely.

Air India later stated that the RAT deployment was not due to a system fault or pilot error.

According to a report by ANI, the DGCA has now launched a detailed investigation into the cause and recurrence of such incidents. The regulator has asked Boeing to provide a comprehensive report on measures being taken to prevent unplanned RAT deployments on its 787 aircraft. It has also sought global data on similar cases and reports from other airlines following modifications to the Power Conversion Module (PCM). The DGCA said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The regulator has instructed Air India to review its “D” Check maintenance records to ensure all procedures related to the PCM module replacement were properly followed. It also plans to reinspect RAT stowage on all Boeing 787 aircraft that have recently undergone PCM module replacement.

Officials quoted by ANI said Boeing reported that maintenance work related to the uncommanded RAT deployment had been completed without detecting any faults, and the aircraft resumed service, returning to Delhi on October 5, 2025.

The DGCA’s investigation aims to determine the cause of the unexpected RAT deployment and implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The incident comes amid a series of technical issues affecting Air India’s 787 fleet, including a Vienna–Delhi flight that was diverted to Dubai on October 9 due to multiple system faults.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has raised safety concerns over Boeing 787 aircraft, citing recurring electrical and maintenance issues. Speaking to ANI, FIP President Captain C.S. Randhawa urged the grounding of the fleet and a comprehensive inspection following recent Air India incidents.

He also criticised the Aircraft Investigation Bureau’s handling of the Air India 171 crash in Ahmedabad earlier this year, warning that inexperienced engineers and poor maintenance standards could jeopardise flight safety.