Indigo Flight Hit By ‘Vulture’ At 4,000ft – Key Details About Airbus A320 Airplane

Published: Monday, June 2, 2025, 20:46 [IST]

An IndiGo flight en route to Kolkata had to make an emergency landing in Ranchi after a mid-air bird strike, officials reported. The aircraft, carrying 175 passengers, was hit by vultures at an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet. Fortunately, all passengers and crew members were unharmed, although the Airbus 320 sustained damage near its nose.

The incident occurred when the flight was about 10 to 12 nautical miles from Ranchi. "An IndiGo flight suffered a bird hit near Ranchi," stated R R Maurya, Director of Birsa Munda Airport. The plane was travelling from Patna to Ranchi when the pilot decided to land urgently due to the situation.

Airbus A320

The Airbus A320 family, a series of narrow-body airliners, was developed by Airbus. The A320 first took to the skies on 22 February 1987 and was introduced by Air France in April 1988. This family includes the stretched A321, delivered in January 1994, the shorter A319 in April 1996, and the smallest variant, the A318, in July 2003.

Final assembly of these aircraft occurs in several locations: Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; Tianjin, China since 2009; and Mobile, Alabama in the United States since April 2016. American Airlines operates the largest fleet of A320s with 483 aircraft. Meanwhile, IndiGo holds the title for the largest customer with an order of 930 aircraft.

Airbus A320 Family's Global Impact

In October 2019, the A320 family overtook Boeing's 737 as the best-selling airliner. By April 2025, Airbus had received orders for 19,234 aircraft from this family and delivered 12,014 units. Of these deliveries, over 11,062 planes were operational across more than 350 airlines worldwide. Since its introduction into service, this fleet has completed over 176 million flights and accumulated more than 328 million block hours.

The twinjet design features a six-abreast economy seating arrangement. The aircraft is powered by either CFM56-5A or -5B engines or IAE V2500 turbofan engines. However, the A318 variant uses either two CFM56-5B engines or a pair of PW6000 engines instead of IAE V2500s.

Airbus A320: Innovations & Variants

The Airbus A320 family pioneered digital fly-by-wire systems and side-stick flight controls in commercial aviation. These variants have maximum take-off weights ranging from 68 to 93.5 tonnes (150,000 to 206,000 lb) and can cover distances between 5,740 to 6,940 kilometres (3,570 to 4,320 miles).

The dimensions and passenger capacities vary among models: The A318 is typically configured for between 107 to 132 passengers and measures at a length of 31.4 m (103 ft). The A319 seats between 124 to 156 passengers with a length of 33.8 m (111 ft). The standard A320 accommodates between 150 to 186 passengers at a length of 37.6 m (123 ft), while the larger A321 offers seating for between 185 to 230 passengers at a length of 44.5 m (146 ft).

Airbus Corporate Jets are modified versions designed for business travel based on these commercial variants. Initially competing against Boeing's older models like the Boeing Classic and MD-80 series, the A320ceo later faced off against successors such as Boeing's Next Generation series and MD-90 models.

IndiGo Aircraft Damage Assessment

The aircraft experienced a dent from the vulture collision, and engineers are currently evaluating the extent of the damage. "The aircraft suffered a dent after being hit by a vulture. Engineers are assessing the damage," Maurya added. Meanwhile, IndiGo has not yet issued any official statement regarding this incident.

This marks the second instance within 15 days where an IndiGo aircraft faced natural challenges leading to damage. On May 21st, another flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered a sudden hailstorm but managed to land safely at Srinagar airport despite turbulence.

Previous Incident Involving Hailstorm

The Delhi-Srinagar flight carried over 220 passengers when it faced severe turbulence due to a hailstorm. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control in Srinagar as per protocol. "IndiGo flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered a sudden hailstorm en route," stated the company.

DriveSpark Thinks

Despite these challenges, both flights landed safely without any injuries reported among passengers or crew members. The incidents highlight the unpredictable nature of flying and the importance of safety protocols in ensuring passenger well-being during unforeseen circumstances.