An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 operating a night flight to Kannur experienced significant damage during take-off at Muscat airport after the aircraft mistakenly aligned with the runway edge lights instead of the runway centerline. This incident, which occurred on May 15, has been classified as an accident by Oman’s Air Accidents Investigation Sector (AAIS), which has initiated an investigation.
The flight, designated IX 712, was preparing for departure at 9:10 PM local time. Registered as VT-AXR, the aircraft entered runway 26L from taxiway E7 and erroneously aligned with the right-hand edge lights. During the take-off roll, the aircraft collided with and destroyed several runway edge lights. A loud bang was reported, followed by a master caution alert in the cockpit, prompting the crew to reject the take-off and stop the aircraft on the runway.
Sources indicated that the aircraft sustained a hydraulic leak and one flat tire. Passengers and crew subsequently disembarked on the runway before being transported back to the terminal. Additionally, it was reported that the engines of the aircraft suffered severe damage due to foreign object ingestion.
Following the incident, the aircraft remained on the ground in Muscat for several days. A replacement Boeing 737-800 was utilized to operate the flight to Kannur the next day, resulting in a delay of over 13 hours. As of this report, the airline’s official statement regarding the incident is pending.
