IndiGo Mumbai–Dehradun Flight Damaged in Bird Strike — All 186 Safe

An IndiGo flight travelling from Mumbai to Dehradun, carrying 186 passengers and crew members, experienced a bird strike just moments before landing at Jolly Grant Airport on Sunday evening. The incident occurred at approximately 6:45 pm when the aircraft, operating as flight IGO 5032, was on final descent. A bird collided with the front portion of the aircraft, causing visible structural damage to the nose section, also known as the radome.

Despite the impact, the pilots executed a controlled landing, and the aircraft touched down safely, following which all passengers disembarked without injury. IndiGo confirmed the incident and stated that the aircraft was immediately taken for a detailed engineering inspection.

Airport officials conducted a runway safety audit after the event to determine whether additional checks or preventive measures were necessary.

A bird strike occurs when birds collide with moving aircraft, most commonly during takeoff or landing when planes operate at lower altitudes. Though most strikes cause minimal damage, they pose significant safety risks because they can impact critical components such as windshields, wings, and landing lights. Engines are especially vulnerable since ingestion of large birds can cause mechanical failure or emergency shutdown.

Modern jet engines undergo strict testing to withstand bird impacts, but aviation authorities treat every incident seriously. Standard procedure requires pilots to inform air traffic control immediately, request landing clearance, and have engineers perform post-flight inspections before the aircraft is approved for future operations.

Airports implement several bird-control strategies, including trained wildlife teams, sound-based deterrents, laser systems, and habitat management to reduce bird presence near runways. The frequency of bird strikes increases near water bodies, waste disposal sites, or migratory pathways.

The incident has once again highlighted the importance of strict wildlife-control programs at major airports to ensure passenger safety and uninterrupted flight operations.