Emergency Landing in Patna: IndiGo Flight Hit by Bird Strike
An IndiGo Airlines flight carrying 175 passengers and crew made an emergency landing at Patna's Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport (JPNI) yesterday, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, after a bird strike damaged one of its engines. The Delhi-bound flight, 6E 5009, experienced a sudden technical snag and engine vibration shortly after takeoff.
Incident Unfolds in Minutes
The Airbus A320 aircraft departed Patna at approximately 8:42 AM IST. Within minutes of ascending, the flight crew reported a suspected bird strike. Confirmation swiftly followed when ground staff conducted a runway inspection and discovered the remains of a bird. Airline executives later confirmed that the impact had damaged a blade in the affected engine, leading to the reported vibrations.
Demonstrating quick thinking and adherence to safety protocols, the pilot immediately requested to return to Patna. Air Traffic Control (ATC) promptly declared a "local standby," alerting all emergency services. The aircraft successfully landed safely on Runway 07 at 9:03 AM IST, just 21 minutes after its initial takeoff. Crucially, all 175 passengers and crew onboard were reported safe, with IndiGo arranging alternative travel for them. The damaged aircraft remains grounded for comprehensive checks and repairs.
Patna Airport's Persistent Bird Strike Challenge
This incident marks the eighth bird strike reported at Patna airport in 2025 alone, highlighting a serious and recurring safety concern. Officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have consistently pointed to environmental factors surrounding the airport as major contributors to this problem.
Factors attracting birds to the vicinity include the presence of slaughterhouses in the Phulwarisharif area, stagnant accumulated water, and overgrown grass and insects, particularly prevalent during the rainy season. Patna's airport faces unique challenges, including a relatively short runway, which exacerbates the risks associated with increased avian activity. The Airports Authority of India has repeatedly urged the Bihar state government to address these contributing factors, though a requested multidisciplinary team from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, sought by the state government in June, is still pending.
Understanding Engine Bird Strikes
When a bird is ingested into a jet engine, it can lead to various forms of damage, depending on the bird's size and the engine's operational speed. The most common impact is to the large fan blades at the front of the engine, which spin at incredibly high velocities. A bird strike can bend, crack, or even fracture these blades, causing a significant engine imbalance and subsequent vibrations, as reported in this incident.
Such an event can also disrupt the precise airflow within the engine's complex system of compressors and combustors, potentially leading to a reduction in thrust, engine surging, or even a complete engine shutdown (flameout). While modern jet engines are engineered to withstand bird ingestion without catastrophic failure, the standard procedure is to safely shut down the compromised engine to prevent further damage or fire. Pilots undergo rigorous training to manage such emergencies, and aircraft are designed to operate and land safely even with one engine inoperative.
