Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX Incident at Phuket Airport: Investigation Underway

An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX suffered a suspected hard landing in Phuket, resulting in the detachment of its nose wheels. All passengers were safely deplaned. The incident temporarily suspended airport operations before normalcy was restored. An official investigation is being conducted in consultation with Thai authorities.

An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX experienced a suspected hard landing at Phuket airport on Wednesday, detaching its two nose wheels, according to senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The flight, IX938, was traveling from Hyderabad to Phuket. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers.

The incident led to a temporary suspension of airport operations as the aircraft became immobilized on the runway. Authorities promptly towed the Boeing 737-Max off the runway, and normal operations have since resumed after the replacement of the nose wheels.

Air India Express has issued an apology, stating that an inquiry will be thoroughly conducted following established protocols. The initial analysis indicates a hard landing on runway 9, and DGCA, in collaboration with Thai aviation authorities, will carry out an extensive investigation.