RAT Deployed Spontaneously on Air India Dreamliner; Preliminary Probe Rules Out Fault

On Friday, Air India stated that the deployment of the RAM Air Turbine (RAT) on its Dreamliner aircraft on October 5th was due to neither a technical fault nor pilot error. This is according to the company's preliminary investigation. The incident occurred on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft flying from Amritsar to Birmingham when the RAT automatically deployed seconds before landing. This device is typically used when both engines of the aircraft fail or the electrical system fails. However, all systems on this flight were normal, and the aircraft landed safely.

Air India said in a statement, "Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the RAT opening was neither due to a system fault nor any pilot action. It occurred spontaneously, and similar incidents have occurred with other airlines, as reported by Boeing." The airline stated that the incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and a preliminary report has been submitted as per established regulations.

On October 5, 2025, flight number AI117, flying from Amritsar to Birmingham, was in the final stages of landing when the pilots observed the RAT opening signal. All electrical and hydraulic systems of the aircraft were normal at the time. The pilots made a safe landing, and no passengers were injured. After landing, the aircraft was temporarily grounded for inspection. Following the completion of the investigation, the aircraft was reinstated and operated a flight from Birmingham to Delhi.

A week after the incident, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) demanded the Ministry of Civil Aviation temporarily ground Air India's entire Dreamliner fleet. The union stated that the electrical systems of all aircraft should be thoroughly inspected and that the DGCA should conduct a special audit of Air India. The FIP also noted that on October 9, Air India flight AI154 from Vienna to Delhi had to make an emergency landing in Dubai due to a serious technical problem. Both the October 5 RAT incident and this new technical fault occurred on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

On June 12, Air India Dreamliner flight AI171, flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people, including the flight crew. This fatal accident has raised questions about the safety of Air India's Boeing 787 series.

The ram air turbine is a small, fan-like device located on the aircraft's exterior. It only opens when the main engine or electrical system fails. It rotates due to air pressure and provides short-term power to the aircraft's core systems, such as hydraulics, navigation, and control systems. Generally, spontaneous opening is considered a very rare occurrence.

Air India has clarified that the incident was not a safety-critical one, as all systems functioned normally and the landing was completely safe. However, the pilots' union's warning and recent incidents have once again raised the question of whether the Dreamliner fleet's technical reliability needs to be reexamined.