IndiGo flight 6E925 from Patna to Lucknow landed safely at Lucknow airport on Wednesday
A dent was found on the aircraft’s nose section after touchdown, and the plane was declared Aircraft on Ground
All 104 passengers and six crew members were safe, with no injuries reported
An IndiGo service from Patna to Lucknow was grounded on Wednesday after damage was found on its nose section after landing. The plane is suspected to have been hit by an object, possibly hailstones, ice chunks, or a mid-air lightning strike, and no official cause has been given yet. All 104 passengers and six crew members on flight 6E925 were safe and no injuries were reported. The aircraft touched down in Lucknow at about 4.05 pm and was then declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG), meaning it would not fly again until technical checks were completed.
The airline’s engineering team is examining the front portion of the aircraft, and the dented nose cone was only noticed after the plane arrived at Lucknow airport. The flight was due to continue on to Ahmedabad from Lucknow, but it was cancelled after the grounding. Passengers were offered either rebooking or a full refund.
Landing And Inspection
The arrival was routine, and airport officials said the plane was not forced into an emergency landing. The damage was detected after touchdown, according to airport officers. “The aircraft landed normally around 4 pm and there were no reports of any injuries. The damage was noticed by the airport team after landing, following which the IndiGo team was informed and the aircraft was declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG),” an airport official reported to PTI, citing preliminary information.
Possible Causes Examined
Investigators are weighing weather-related possibilities, including a lightning strike in adverse conditions, but officials have not confirmed that as the reason. Initial reports say the pilot informed Air Traffic Control that something happened at roughly 17,000 feet during descent, and reports also say the aircraft experienced a strong jolt. “Further technical details will be shared by the airline after the completion of its investigation,” a source said.
The pilot’s formal report has been kept confidential for DGCA review. Some crew members pointed to a possible lightning strike, while some experts said that was unlikely because aircraft exteriors are designed to handle lightning, with current travelling along the outer fuselage and discharging through the wings or tail. Aviation experts also said thunderstorm clouds can hide hail or ice chunks that may damage the radome at speed. A bird strike is another possibility being considered.
