An Air India flight collided with the runway while landing at Bengaluru airport.

Bangalore Air India Tail Strike: An unusual incident occurred during the landing of Air India flight AI2651, traveling from Bengaluru. The rear part of the aircraft hit the runway, an event known in aviation as a ‘tail strike’.

A tail strike is an aviation incident where the tail or empennage of the aircraft strikes the runway or ground.

• During Takeoff: The pilot raises the nose too quickly (over-rotation).
• During Landing: The nose is pulled up too sharply during touchdown, especially if the pilot is attempting to land at the beginning of the runway.

At the time of the incident, there were 181 passengers and crew members on board. No passengers or crew members were injured. After landing, images of the aircraft surfaced on social media, showing clear scratches and damage on its rear section.

According to sources, the cause behind the incident was wake turbulence generated by a Boeing 747 aircraft already present on the runway. This affected the balance of AI2651. Assessing the situation, the pilot performed a go-around, meaning he decided to abort the landing approach, take the aircraft back into the air, and land again once conditions normalized. During this process, the rear of the aircraft struck the runway.

Air India immediately grounded the aircraft for inspection after the incident. The airline and airport authorities have initiated a safety investigation, and the incident has been reported to the civil aviation regulatory authority (DGCA).

Air India’s flight AI2652 from Bengaluru to Delhi has been canceled. The airline has informed that alternative arrangements are being made for affected passengers. Air India’s ground team is assisting passengers at Bengaluru Airport.

It may be noted that on June 12, 2025, at around 1:39 PM, Air India flight AI-171 (Boeing 787-8, VT-ANB), traveling from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into the dormitory area of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area just 32 seconds after takeoff. The aircraft carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members, totaling 242 people. Of these, 241 died, and only one passenger (Vishwas Kumar Ramesh) survived. The crash also killed 19 people on the ground and injured 67. Preliminary investigation revealed that fuel supply to both engines stopped immediately after takeoff, causing the aircraft to lose control and crash. This incident is one of India’s most tragic aviation accidents.