Lucknow: An IndiGo flight travelling from Patna to Lucknow was hit by lightning and encountered severe weather on Wednesday, October 7, causing damage to the aircraft’s nose before it landed safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow.
The aircraft, operating IndiGo flight 6E 625, was carrying 104 passengers and six crew members. Despite the incident, all passengers and crew members were reported safe. The aircraft landed eight minutes ahead of schedule, according to the airline and NDTV.
The aircraft was flying at an altitude of around 17,000 feet when it was struck by lightning. It was subsequently grounded for inspection and maintenance, while India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), launched a probe into the incident.
Lightning strike damages aircraft nose
The lightning strike occurred while the aircraft was operating its scheduled service from Patna to Lucknow.
According to IndiGo, the flight encountered unfavourable weather conditions, including a hailstorm during landing. The weather resulted in damage to the aircraft’s radome, the protective structure covering equipment at the front of the aircraft.
The radome forms part of the aircraft’s nose section and protects sensitive equipment, including weather radar systems. Damage to this area requires inspection and appropriate maintenance before an aircraft can return to commercial service.
The aircraft nevertheless completed the flight and landed safely in Lucknow. All passengers disembarked at their destination without reported injuries.
104 passengers and six crew members on board
There were 110 people on board the aircraft, comprising 104 passengers and six crew members.
Despite the lightning strike and adverse weather, the flight crew was able to bring the aircraft safely to Lucknow.
The aircraft landed eight minutes ahead of its scheduled time, according to the report. IndiGo said all customers disembarked safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport.
The incident did not result in any reported injuries among passengers or crew members.
DGCA launches probe
Following the incident, the DGCA has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the flight.
The aircraft has been grounded and will not return to commercial operations until it completes the necessary maintenance and receives the required regulatory clearances.
IndiGo said the relevant authorities were informed immediately following the incident.
The airline said the aircraft would undergo the necessary maintenance work and would resume operations only after securing the required approvals.
The regulatory inspection is expected to determine the extent of the damage and ensure that the aircraft meets all applicable safety requirements before it is cleared to fly again.
IndiGo issues statement
An IndiGo spokesperson said flight 6E 625, operating from Patna to Lucknow on October 7, encountered unfavourable weather, including a hailstorm while landing, which resulted in damage to the radome.
The airline confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers disembarked at their destination.
IndiGo also said that the relevant authorities were immediately informed and that the aircraft would undergo the required maintenance before returning to service after obtaining the necessary clearances.
Aircraft grounded after incident
The grounding of the aircraft is a standard safety measure following significant weather-related damage.
The aircraft will have to undergo inspection and maintenance to assess the condition of the damaged radome and any other systems that may have been affected.
Only after the maintenance work and regulatory checks are completed will the aircraft be permitted to resume commercial operations.
The DGCA’s investigation will also examine the circumstances surrounding the weather encounter and the aircraft’s subsequent landing.
Recent IndiGo weather-related incident
The latest incident comes weeks after another IndiGo aircraft experienced an incident during landing at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
In that case, an IndiGo A321neo operating flight 6E 6542 from Guwahati to Bengaluru experienced what the airline described as an “Abnormal Runway Contact” during gusty weather.
The aircraft was grounded following that incident, with IndiGo attributing the occurrence to bad weather.
The two incidents are separate and there is no indication in the latest report that they are connected. However, they highlight the operational challenges airlines can face when flights encounter severe or rapidly changing weather conditions.
Passengers safe after dramatic weather encounter
The Patna-Lucknow flight ultimately completed its journey safely despite the lightning strike, hailstorm and damage to the aircraft’s nose.
For passengers on board, the incident ended without reported injuries, while the aircraft has now been taken out of service for detailed inspection.
The DGCA investigation and subsequent maintenance clearance will determine when the aircraft can return to the skies.
For now, the key development is that all 104 passengers and six crew members are safe, while IndiGo has grounded the aircraft pending maintenance and regulatory clearance.