An Air India Express passenger aircraft made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport in Thailand, leading to damage to the aircraft’s landing gear and temporary disruption of airport operations. The incident occurred on March 11, when the Boeing 737 aircraft arrived from Hyderabad and encountered a problem while touching down on the runway.
Airport authorities confirmed that the aircraft landed earlier than its scheduled time and experienced a hard impact during landing, which damaged the nose landing gear. The aircraft was unable to move from the runway immediately, forcing officials to suspend runway operations for several hours.
Despite the severity of the landing, all passengers and crew on board were reported safe.
Aircraft and flight details
The aircraft involved in the incident was an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 operating flight AXB938 from Hyderabad to Phuket. The aircraft carried over 130 passengers along with seven crew members, including two infants.
The flight was scheduled to land at 11:40 am, but it touched down earlier at around 11:24 am local time. During the landing, the plane experienced a hard touchdown that caused damage to the nose landing gear and tyre assembly.
Initial reports indicated that one of the aircraft’s wheels detached due to the impact, which contributed to the runway obstruction.
Runway temporarily closed
Following the incident, Phuket International Airport issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing the temporary closure of its runway from 12:08 pm to 6:00 pm.
The runway had to be closed to remove the aircraft and inspect the surface for damage caused during the landing. Airport teams carried out safety checks before allowing normal operations to resume.
Due to the closure, several incoming flights had to circle in nearby airspace, while others were diverted to alternate airports until the runway reopened.
The disruption caused delays in flight schedules at one of Thailand’s busiest tourist airports.
Passengers safely evacuated
Authorities confirmed that all passengers were safely disembarked from the aircraft after the incident. They were taken to the passenger terminal and waiting areas while airport officials and airline staff managed the situation.
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew members. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately after the landing as a precautionary measure.
Airport officials said safety protocols were followed strictly and that the situation was quickly brought under control.
Airline and aviation response
Air India Express acknowledged the incident and said the aircraft experienced an issue with the nose wheel during landing at Phuket airport. Aviation authorities and airline engineers began examining the aircraft to determine the exact cause of the hard landing.
Such incidents are typically investigated to assess whether the problem was related to weather conditions, technical malfunction, runway conditions or landing procedures.
Aviation experts note that a hard landing occurs when an aircraft touches down with excessive vertical speed, which can cause damage to landing gear or aircraft structure.
Airport operations restored
After the aircraft was removed and safety inspections were completed, airport authorities worked to restore normal flight operations. Airlines advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport due to possible delays caused by the runway closure.
The incident highlights the importance of aviation safety procedures and the quick response of airport authorities in managing emergency situations.