Hakeem Nafeesurrahman Thanvi at 22:27, 19 February 2026

2026-02-19T22:27:53Z

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{{multiple issues|
{{notability|events|date=August 2021}}
{{nf|date=August 2021}}}}
{{short description|2018 aviation incident in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| image = Air India Express Boeing 737-800 Spijkers.jpg
| alt =
| caption = VT-AYD, the aircraft involved in the incident, pictured in 2011
| occurrence_type = Incident
| date = {{start-date|11 October 2018}}
| summary = [[Tailstrike]] due to captain's backrest collapsing and [[pilot error]]
| site = [[Tiruchirappalli International Airport]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|10|45.94|N|78|42.90|E|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| total_injuries = 1
| ground_injuries = 1
| aircraft_type = [[Boeing 737 Next Generation#737-800|Boeing 737-800]]
| aircraft_name =
| operator = [[Air India Express]]
| IATA = IX611
| ICAO = AXB611
| callsign = EXPRESS INDIA 611
| tail_number = VT-AYD
| origin = [[Tiruchirappalli International Airport]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| stopover =
| stopover0 =
| last_stopover =
| destination = [[Dubai International Airport]], [[United Arab Emirates]]
| occupants = 136
| passengers = 130
| crew = 6
| fatalities = 0
| survivors = 136
}}
'''Air India Express Flight 611''' was an international flight from [[Tiruchirappalli]], India, to [[Dubai]], United Arab Emirates. On 11 October 2018, the [[Boeing 737 800|Boeing 737-800]], registration VT-AYD, operating the flight suffered a severe tail strike and crashed into the [[localizer antenna]] and perimeter wall, due to the captain's backrest collapsing on [[takeoff]]. The aircraft continued to fly towards the UAE. When it was nearing Oman, it was diverted to [[Mumbai]], India, where it landed safely.<ref>{{cite web |title=Air India Flight 611 (ASN) |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20181012-0 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=17 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=India.com News Desk |title=Air India Trichy-Dubai IX-611 Flight Hits ATC Compound Wall With 136 Passengers On-board |url=https://www.india.com/news/india/air-indias-trichy-dubai-flight-hits-atc-compound-wall-with-136-passengers-on-board-3376531/ |publisher=india.com |access-date=17 October 2021 |date=12 October 2018}}</ref>

==Incident==
Conditions were good, and the captain chose to take off from Runway 27. ATC granted Flight 611 takeoff clearance at 00:49 hours. The thrust was set to 98% for takeoff, and as is standard procedure, the captain placed his hand on the thrust levers ready to pull them closed in case of a [[rejected takeoff]]. Once the aircraft had accelerated to {{convert|117|kn|km/h mph}}, the backrest of the captain's seat suddenly collapsed. That caused him to inadvertently pull the thrust levers back, reducing thrust from 98% to 77%. The captain immediately called "your controls", giving the first officer control of the aircraft. Due to the sudden and unprecedented problem, the first officer failed to confirm the position of the thrust levers, a mandatory step if a pilot becomes incapacitated. Once he had recovered his position, the captain took back control of the aircraft with {{convert|2000|ft}} of runway left. Despite requiring more force than usual, the captain was able to rotate and the aircraft began to lift off with {{convert|1000|ft}} of runway still available. However, during the takeoff, the aircraft collided with the airport fence, an ILS antenna, and a brick wall. A motorist passing the brick wall was struck by debris and injured.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kainth |first1=Shamsher |title=Air India plane hits a brick wall, continues to fly for hours |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/air-india-plane-hits-a-brick-wall-continues-to-fly-for-hours |publisher=SBSPunjabi |access-date=18 October 2021 |date=16 October 2018}}</ref>

Once airborne, both pilots realized the aircraft was vibrating, which they attributed to wake turbulence and did nothing. [[Cabin crew]] at the rear of the aircraft felt a bump during takeoff and relayed that observation to the senior cabin crew at the first opportunity, although they believed the noise was caused by cargo moving. At the [[Trichy]] ATC Tower, operators become aware that the [[Instrument landing system|ILS]] Localizer was no longer working. Tower staff dispatched a crew to inspect the antenna, who discovered that it had been destroyed and that the one and a half meter-tall boundary wall had sustained significant damage, with parts of the aircraft skin embedded. The damage was found to be from the landing gear.{{fact|date=June 2022}}

Flight 611 crew were informed of that by ATC at 00:56 but, inexplicably, decided to proceed with the flight, in violation of the [[tailstrike]] protocol, which states that the aircraft must not be pressurized and must land at the nearest available airport. The crew maintained an altitude of {{convert|21,000|ft|m}} while testing the landing gear and other systems. They soon requested to climb to {{convert|35,000|ft|m}}. Whilst the flight carried on towards Dubai, an [[Air India Express]] representative attended Tiruchirappalli Airport and inspected the damage done. Shortly thereafter, the company contacted the flight crew and instructed them to divert to [[Mumbai]], despite the stricken aircraft being much closer to [[Dubai]]. Flight 611 touched down safely at [[Mumbai Airport]] at 05:38 hours, with the [[emergency services]] standing by.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Selk |first1=Avi |title=Boeing 737 flies into brick wall — and just keeps going |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2018/10/13/boeing-flies-into-brick-wall-just-keeps-going/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=18 October 2021 |date=13 October 2018}}</ref>

After the aircraft had parked at a stand, an inspection found a large hole in the underside of the plane, with a light and [[VHF]] antenna having been ripped off, as well as damage to the landing gear, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the cowling of the number two engine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chandra |first1=Jagriti |title=Air India Express fiasco: 'Aircraft could have flown safely to Dubai' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-india-express-fiasco-aircraft-could-have-flown-safely-to-dubai/article25217393.ece |work=The Hindu |access-date=17 October 2021 |date=14 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Air India plane hits wall on take-off |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45833239 |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 October 2021 |date=12 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilkinson |first1=Bard |title=Air India plane hits wall on takeoff |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/12/asia/air-india-flight-crash-intl/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=17 October 2021 |date=12 October 2018}}</ref>

==Investigation==
The subsequent investigation found that the collapse of the captain's backrest was due to over-tightening of the reclining mechanism. The investigation also found that had the [[First officer (aviation)|first officer]] implemented a rejected takeoff, the aircraft would have had sufficient runway to come to a stop safely. Had either the first officer or captain increased thrust back to 98%, Flight 611 would have taken off safely.{{fact|date=June 2022}}

==See also==
* [[Emirates Flight 407]] - a tailstrike caused by too little thrust on takeoff.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==

{{aviation accidents and incidents in 2018}}
{{Air India}}
{{aviation accidents and incidents in India}}

[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2018]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:October 2018 in India]]
[[Category:Air India accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:2018 disasters in India]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Next Generation]]
[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by tailstrikes]]

Air India Express Flight 611 - Revision history

Hakeem Nafeesurrahman Thanvi at 22:27, 19 February 2026