The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has called on the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to carry out a comprehensive inspection of the electrical systems in all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India. This request follows a recent incident involving an Air India flight to Birmingham.
On October 4, Air India flight AI-117, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANO), landed safely after its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) automatically deployed during the final approach. The RAT is designed to deploy autonomously in the event of a dual engine failure or a total electronic or hydraulic malfunction, generating emergency power using wind speed.
In a written email to the DGCA, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the FIP referred to the incident, indicating that the RAT deployed around 500 feet prior to landing. The Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) system identified a fault in the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), which may have triggered the deployment.
The FIP expressed concerns over multiple incidents related to Boeing 787’s electrical systems in India since its induction, urging MoCA and AAIB to conduct a thorough examination of these issues for safety reasons. They also referenced the earlier crash of Air India flight AI-171, emphasizing the need for a detailed investigation into the Boeing 787 electrical systems.
In response to the incident, the DGCA initiated a probe into the “uncommanded Ram Air Turbine (RAT)” deployment at 400 feet before landing, assigning the investigation to a Deputy Air Safety Officer (Northern Region). The DGCA reported that maintenance actions recommended by Boeing regarding the uncommanded RAT deployment had been completed without any discrepancies.
Boeing issued a Fleet Team Digest, summarizing prior cases involving similar incidents, and noted that “the matter requires detailed investigation.” Air India confirmed on October 8, 2025, that it had canceled its Birmingham-Delhi flight due to the need for inspection of the aircraft, following the detected deployment of the RAT during the approach for flight AI-117.
All electrical and hydraulic parameters were reported as normal, and the aircraft completed a safe landing in Birmingham. However, the airline did not disclose the specific number of passengers onboard.
Notably, both engine issues and potential software malfunctions have been suggested as probable causes of the earlier crash of Air India flight AI-171, which occurred on June 12, 2025, resulting in the loss of 260 lives, including 241 aboard the aircraft. The AAIB is currently investigating this crash.
