In a near-miss that could have turned catastrophic, an IndiGo Airbus A321 Neo aircraft suffered a tail strike while attempting to land at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the early hours of Saturday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred amid adverse weather and heavy rainfall.
Tail Strike During Go-Around
According to officials, IndiGo flight 6E 1060, operating from Bangkok to Mumbai, attempted to land on Runway 27 at 3:06 am when its tail touched the runway surface during a low-altitude go-around. The go-around was prompted by unstable weather conditions.
No passengers or crew members were injured. The aircraft successfully landed on its second attempt, but officials later confirmed it was grounded for inspection and repair.
An IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged the incident, saying, “On August 16, 2025, an IndiGo Airbus A321 aircraft tail touched the runway while executing a low-altitude go-around due to unfavourable weather conditions in Mumbai. Thereafter, the aircraft carried out another approach and landed safely.”
The airline added that the aircraft will undergo necessary checks, repairs, and regulatory clearance before resuming operations.
DGCA Orders Formal Probe
The DGCA confirmed that a formal investigation will be undertaken.
“We will be undertaking an investigation on this incident. A formal order will be issued,” a senior DGCA official stated.
However, sources revealed that neither the airline nor the cockpit crew reported the incident to Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the time. The matter was later escalated to the DGCA by airport authorities.
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Bad Weather and Flight Disruptions
Mumbai’s monsoon downpour has severely affected flight operations in recent days. Airport officials reported that at least 14 flights had to go around the airport due to low visibility and wet runways, while three flights were diverted to other airports on Friday night.
“There were 10 go-arounds last night and four today. Three flights had to be diverted last night due to rains,” an official said.
The Airbus A321 Neo, a long-bodied variant of the A320 family, is known to be prone to tail strikes globally, especially during bad weather landings, owing to its extended fuselage length.
No Structural Damage, Says Airport Authority
An airport official clarified that while the aircraft’s tail scraped the runway, there was no structural damage reported.“It only scraped the runway surface, no major damage occurred to the aircraft,” the official confirmed.
Nevertheless, runway inspections were carried out to ensure no debris or material damage could affect subsequent flight operations. IndiGo reassured passengers that safety remains its highest priority, even if it means operational delays.
“We are making all efforts to minimize any subsequent impact on our operations due to this incident,” the airline said in its official statement. The DGCA’s probe will now determine whether the incident was purely weather-induced or if there were procedural lapses in piloting and reporting.
