The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation after an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence and a hailstorm mid-air, following a refusal by Pakistan to grant the aircraft entry into its airspace to avoid the dangerous weather system.
The incident took place aboard IndiGo flight 6E-2142, operated by an Airbus A321 Neo, which was cruising at an altitude of 36,000 feet near Pathankot. As the flight crew observed a threatening weather system ahead, they requested a diversion from Northern Control (Indian Air Force), seeking permission to turn left. When that was denied, they reached out to Lahore Air Traffic Control for access to Pakistani airspace. That request was also turned down.
Left with no viable diversion route and unable to safely turn back due to nearby thundercloud formations, the crew made the decision to navigate through the turbulent weather. The aircraft was soon engulfed by a hailstorm and experienced violent turbulence, triggering a series of critical system warnings on board.
According to DGCA officials, during the storm, the aircraft’s autopilot system disengaged, and speed readings became unreliable. The plane underwent sharp altitude fluctuations, with descent rates peaking at 8,500 feet per minute. Among the warnings received were alerts indicating the loss of Alternate Law flight protections, Angle of Attack faults, stall warnings, and overspeed alerts (VMO/MMO exceedance).
Also Read: Panic, cries as IndiGo flight hits turbulence, lands with damage
A video from inside the cabin, now viral on social media, showed passengers—many of them children—screaming and crying in panic as the aircraft was battered by the storm. Separate images of the aircraft’s damaged nose radome, apparently broken by hail impact, also circulated widely, raising concerns over passenger safety.
Despite the intense conditions and system failures, the flight crew successfully regained manual control of the aircraft, followed emergency checklist procedures, and declared a “PAN PAN” emergency to Srinagar Air Traffic Control. The aircraft was then guided using radar vectors and made a safe landing in Srinagar. All passengers and crew members were unharmed.
“PAN PAN” is an international standard radiotelephony signal used to indicate an urgent situation on board that requires attention but is not yet a full-scale emergency. After landing, a technical inspection revealed damage to the aircraft’s nose radome consistent with hail impact. IndiGo confirmed that auto thrust systems functioned normally during the landing sequence.
The DGCA is currently investigating the incident to evaluate whether operational procedures were followed correctly and to review the crew’s handling of the emergency. IndiGo has stated that it is cooperating fully with the authorities in the ongoing probe.
Also Read: Pak denied IndiGo airspace during turbulent Delhi-Srinagar flight
Pakistan denies airspace to IndiGo flight amid turbulence
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday confirmed that Pakistan denied airspace access to IndiGo flight 6E 214 on Wednesday evening, as it attempted to avoid severe turbulence caused by extreme weather. The Delhi-to-Srinagar flight encountered a violent storm and hailstones near Pathankot after its request to enter Pakistani airspace was rejected.
According to IAF sources cited by news agencies, the denial was in line with NOTAM A0220/25, issued by Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, which bans Indian-registered or operated aircraft, including military flights, from entering its airspace. This NOTAM was valid until midnight on May 23. Despite the refusal, the IAF assisted the IndiGo crew by providing route coordination, radar vectors, and groundspeed readouts, helping the aircraft land safely in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has now extended the airspace restriction for Indian flights until June 24. The ban covers all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by India.
Also Read: TMC leaders call flight ordeal ‘near-death’, praise pilot
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