An IndiGo Airbus A321 flying from Guwahati to Bengaluru suffered a tail strike while conducting a go-around at Kempegowda International Airport, but landed safely on its second attempt, with all passengers and crew reported safe. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is probing the incident, while the aircraft has been taken for maintenance checks.
The flight, identified as 6E-6542, aborted its first landing approach at Bengaluru on Sunday. During the subsequent ascent, the aircraft experienced what IndiGo described in its communication to the aviation regulator as an “abnormal runway contact”. The flight then returned for another approach and landed safely.
In line with standard operating procedures, the aircraft is undergoing inspection before it can resume service. It will require the necessary clearances after the maintenance checks are completed, according to the airline’s account of the incident.
The incident places attention on one of the more technically sensitive phases of commercial flying: the transition from approach to landing and the decision to discontinue an approach when conditions are not suitable. A tail strike occurs when the rear underside of an aircraft makes contact with the runway surface, generally during landing or take-off manoeuvres. The extent of any damage can only be established through inspection.
IndiGo has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation that its focus on pilot training for this particular area has been enhanced. The regulator’s probe is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the aborted approach, the aircraft’s subsequent ascent and the runway contact before the plane is cleared for further operations.
The risk profile of a tail strike varies by aircraft type and the extent to which the event is detected and assessed. The United Kingdom’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch has stated that the rate of tail-strike incidents per aircraft landing for the Airbus A321 is four times higher than for the A320, attributing this in part to the A321’s smaller margin from the normal flare attitude. It has also said that damage to fuselage structural integrity should not pose a significant flight risk if the tail strike is detected during or after landing.
The available safety data places the Bengaluru incident within a wider aviation pattern rather than treating it as an isolated airport-specific event. The International Air Transport Association’s Safety Report identified tail strikes as the most frequent type of incident globally in both 2024 and 2025. The report recorded nine non-fatal tail-strike incidents, compared with seven involving landing gear and six runway excursions.
For passengers, the immediate operational consequence is the aircraft’s withdrawal from service pending inspection and regulatory clearance. The final findings of the DGCA investigation, along with the maintenance assessment, will determine the circumstances of the runway contact and any further operational action.
