New Delhi: An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX with 138 people on board made a hard landing in Phuket on Wednesday. The plane, which was taking off from Hyderabad, reportedly bounced once after a rough landing and then both its front wheels came off on its second contact with the runway. It was then stuck on the runway and the airport closed to flights until its only airstrip was available again after necessary inspections.Fortunately, no one on board was injured. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in contact with Thai aviation authorities. The plane is grounded there and the airline will send engineers to perform repairs. “The aircraft (VT-BWQ) operating flight IX 938 (Hyderabad-Phuket) had a suspected hard landing and bounced while landing on Phuket’s runway 09. Passengers disembarked on the runway and were taken to the terminal. The aircraft was towed to the bay. On March 8, 2026, both nose wheels were replaced for routine maintenance. An investigation will be conducted by the relevant authorities in consultation with the Thai Aviation Investigation Agency. The authorities said this is happening in Thailand,” a senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.An AI Express spokesperson said: “We confirm that our Hyderabad to Phuket flight experienced a nosewheel issue at Phuket Airport on March 11. The crew followed all standard protocols and passengers deplaned. We thank our passengers, Phuket Airport authorities and all stakeholders for their cooperation.” The flight, carrying 132 passengers and six crew members, took off from Hyderabad at 6.23am and landed at 11.25am (all times are local time). A senior B737 captain said: “It was obviously a hard landing and the nose wheel was damaged on the second landing. The best thing to do is to take off again after the plane bounces. However, only an investigation can tell what exactly happened. There may also be a problem with the plane’s nose wheel. Pilots will do their best to land safely. “Experienced pilots say that Phuket’s runway has a significant uphill and then downhill slope, so “flare awareness” may be affected. Flare perception is the visual and sensory process of judging altitude, speed, and rate of approach to transition from a descending approach to a smooth, near-zero vertical speed landing (usually within 15-30 feet of the ground). It involves shifting focus from the end of the runway to the sides, using peripheral vision to sense altitude and “ground impact.” “Phuket is a difficult place to land if you have strong winds and thermals on a hot afternoon, which is often the case there,” one pilot said.
