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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday issued a directive to Air India to reinspect the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) emergency system on its Boeing 787 aircraft following an “uncommanded” deployment on Flight AI 117 from Amritsar to Birmingham on October 4. 

According to DGCA sources, Air India was instructed to review the maintenance work conducted during the aircraft’s recent ‘D’ check, with a specific focus on the replacement of the Power Conditioning Module (PCM), to identify any discrepancies.

The DGCA also mandated that Air India reinspect the RAT stowage on all aircraft where the PCM module was replaced previously. The aviation regulator’s investigation into the incident on the Amritsar-Birmingham flight remains ongoing, and the DGCA has requested a detailed report from Boeing. 

The US aircraft manufacturer has been asked to provide a global digest of similar uncommanded RAT deployments on Boeing 787 aircraft and to outline preventive measures to avoid future occurrences. Additionally, the DGCA sought comprehensive data on any service difficulty reports received worldwide from operators following PCM module replacements.

 

Also Read: Air India flight grounded in UK after turbine emergency mid-descent

The incident involved an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI 117, which experienced an uncommanded deployment of the RAT mid-air as it approached Birmingham, approximately 400 feet above the ground. The pilot reported no issues and safely landed the aircraft. Air India stated that all electrical and hydraulic systems were functioning normally upon landing, and, following protocol, the aircraft was grounded for a thorough inspection.

Notably, the same Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved in this incident had previously been implicated in a June 2025 crash in Ahmedabad, where the RAT also deployed. An interim investigation into that incident concluded that engine shutdowns, triggered by a fuel supply cutoff, activated the emergency system.

 

Also Read: Air India rules out system or pilot fault on Oct 4 RAT incident