Air India Express Plane Suffers Hard Landing in Phuket, Nose Gear Smashed
Phuket / Tarai 24 Desk, March 11, 2026 — An Air India Express flight travelling from Hyderabad to Thailand experienced a terrifying ordeal on Wednesday morning after suffering a hard landing at Phuket International Airport. The forceful impact severely damaged the aircraft’s nose landing gear, causing the plane to skid and ultimately become stranded on the active runway.
Flight IX938, operated by a Boeing 737 aircraft, had departed from Hyderabad and arrived in Phuket ahead of its scheduled 11:40 AM landing time. According to airport authorities, the malfunction occurred upon touchdown at approximately 11:24 AM local time, when the front wheels gave way under the stress of the hard landing.
All Passengers Evacuated Safely
Despite the severe damage to the aircraft—with some reports indicating a front tire may have also completely detached—a major tragedy was averted. The flight was carrying 131 passengers, including two infants, along with seven crew members.
Emergency response teams and airport tourist police rushed to the tarmac immediately following the incident. All 138 individuals on board were safely evacuated from the disabled aircraft and transported to a passenger waiting area inside the terminal. No injuries have been reported.
In an official statement, Air India Express confirmed the incident: “We confirm that our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on March 11 experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport. The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned.”
Massive Flight Disruptions at Phuket Airport
With the damaged Boeing 737 blocking the primary runway, Phuket International Airport was forced to halt all incoming and outgoing flight operations.
Airport officials issued an urgent Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), announcing a temporary runway closure from roughly 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM local time. The prolonged closure was necessary to conduct comprehensive safety inspections and await heavy equipment to tow the crippled aircraft off the tarmac. Replacement parts for the landing gear reportedly need to be flown in directly from India.
The runway closure triggered massive logistical disruptions, forcing numerous incoming international flights to hold in the surrounding airspace or divert to alternate airports, such as Krabi. Passengers scheduled to fly in or out of Phuket today have been strongly advised to contact their respective airlines for updated flight statuses.
