Delhi-Bound IndiGo Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Patna After Bird Hit

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Patna was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff on Tuesday morning after a bird struck one of its engines. Flight 6E509, carrying 169 passengers, landed safely back at Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. All passengers and crew members are reported to be safe.

The incident occurred just minutes after the aircraft took off at 8:42 am. According to an official statement issued by Patna airport, the approach control unit received a message from the cockpit reporting engine vibrations, prompting an immediate return request.

“Message received from the approach control unit that aircraft requested to come back to Patna due to vibration in one engine. Local stand-by declared and aircraft landed safely at 0903 IST on runway 7. All passengers are safe,” the statement read.

An inspection of the runway confirmed the bird hit, as remains of a dead bird were recovered shortly after the emergency landing. The aircraft was then towed to the parking bay for further assessment, and all passengers were safely de-boarded.

IndiGo confirmed that the aircraft is currently undergoing inspection and necessary assessments before being cleared for further operations. An alternative aircraft has been arranged to transport the affected passengers to Delhi, the airline stated.

“We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen reason and all efforts are being made to minimize it, including offering them refreshments and sharing regular updates about the flight,” an IndiGo spokesperson said. “At IndiGo, safety and security of our customers and crew are of utmost importance to us.”

Airport officials assured that necessary safety protocols were promptly followed. Emergency services, including fire and rescue teams, were kept on standby as a precaution during the landing process.

The airline has initiated a standard safety review, and efforts are underway to repair the damaged aircraft.

This incident adds to a growing list of recent bird strike-related flight disruptions. Last month, another IndiGo flight — Kolkata-bound 6E6101 — had to abort takeoff at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport due to a bird strike. The aircraft was safely brought back to the bay and all passengers de-boarded without injury.

Bird strikes are a common aviation hazard, especially near urban airports. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised airports and airlines to enhance measures for wildlife hazard management to prevent such occurrences.

Despite the scare, the quick response by the pilot and air traffic control ensured that all 169 passengers aboard IndiGo flight 6E509 remained unharmed.