Air India flight carrying 164 passengers suffers bird hit in Patna, lands safely

An Air India flight carrying 164 passengers from Delhi to Patna suffered a bird strike during landing. The aircraft landed safely, but the incident has raised fresh concerns over increasing bird activity at airports.

Post Published By: Ayushi Bisht

Updated : 24 August 2026, 1:50 PM IST

Air India flight carrying 164 passengers suffers bird hit (Img: X)

New Delhi: A major safety scare was reported at Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan Airport on Monday morning after an Air India flight from Delhi suffered a bird strike while landing.

The flight, AI 1741, carrying 164 passengers, landed safely at around 7:43 am after the pilot reported a suspected bird hit near the aircraft’s right engine.

Following the alert, airport authorities immediately activated emergency landing procedures and deployed fire and safety teams as a precautionary measure.

Aircraft Cleared After Detailed Inspection

After landing, engineers conducted a detailed inspection of the aircraft and confirmed the bird strike. However, no damage was found to the engine.

The aircraft was later cleared for operations after completing mandatory safety checks.

The return flight to Delhi, AI 1852, carrying 160 passengers, was delayed by nearly 79 minutes and departed at 10:09 am instead of its scheduled departure time.

Second Bird Strike Incident at Patna Airport in a Week

The incident marks the second bird strike involving an Air India aircraft at Patna airport within a week. Earlier, a Delhi-Patna Air India flight reported a bird hit on August 17, following which the aircraft remained grounded for two days. Maintenance teams were sent from Delhi to carry out repairs before the aircraft was cleared by aviation authorities.

Rising Bird Activity Raises Airport Safety Concerns

Officials have pointed towards increasing bird and wildlife activity around the airport, especially during the monsoon season. According to airport officials, rapid grass growth around runways during rains can attract insects, which in turn draw birds into operational areas.

During a routine inspection before flight operations on Sunday, officials also found the remains of a bat weighing around 1.5 kg on the runway area.

Measures Taken to Control Bird Movement

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has deployed measures including bird chasers equipped with firearms and firecrackers to prevent birds from entering operational zones.

Officials have also highlighted nearby meat shops in the Phulwarisharif area as a possible challenge, as such locations can attract birds and increase risks for aircraft movement.