Air India Dreamliner Scare in Birmingham Raises RAT Deployment Questions

A mid-air scare on the Amritsar-to-Birmingham Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner made headlines after the aircraft’s emergency Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed before landing. The incident evokes memories of the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 274 people earlier this year, as both involved the same aircraft model and RAT deployment shortly after takeoff or before landing.

The RAT, a fan-like device, provides emergency electrical and hydraulic power when both engines fail. In today’s incident, all electrical and hydraulic parameters were normal, and the aircraft landed safely. However, investigators are unclear why the RAT was deployed, and the aircraft has been grounded for further checks. Passengers were reported safe.

Experts highlight the eerie similarities to the AI 171 crash, noting that the RAT had deployed seconds before the plane’s fatal descent. Former US Navy pilot Captain Steve Scheibner pointed out a high-pitched squeal in crash footage, indicative of RAT deployment. “It’s not designed for an aircraft at 400–500 feet losing all power — there’s no time to restart engines; it provides no benefit,” he said. The AI 171 had been at 625 feet before it crashed.

The interim probe report into the Ahmedabad crash revealed that fuel supply cutoff caused both engines to shut down, triggering the RAT. Within seconds after takeoff, both engine fuel control switches were moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF,” one after the other, with just a one-second gap, lending credence to experts’ assessment of the emergency system’s rapid deployment.