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An IndiGo Airbus A321neo operating from Delhi to Gorakhpur has been grounded at Mahayogi Gorakhnath Airport after a suspected tail strike during landing, with all passengers and crew reported safe and a technical inspection now under way.
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Go-around, Safe Landing and Grounding at Gorakhpur
According to multiple Indian media reports, the incident occurred on August 19, 2026, as IndiGo flight 6E 2381 was arriving in Gorakhpur from Delhi. The Airbus A321neo reportedly initiated a go-around during its first landing attempt, before returning to make a subsequent safe touchdown at Mahayogi Gorakhnath Airport on the same flight number.
Accounts published on August 22 describe what is being treated as a tail impact event during the landing sequence, in which the lower aft fuselage of the aircraft is believed to have contacted the runway. The maneuver was followed by a normal roll-out, and there have been no reports of injuries among passengers or crew on board the narrowbody jet.
Post-flight checks identified scratches and abrasion marks near the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) inlet in the tail section. In line with standard safety practice, IndiGo removed the aircraft from service at Gorakhpur and it remains grounded pending detailed structural assessment and repairs.
Technical Focus on Possible Tail Strike
Published coverage explains that a tail strike typically occurs when the aircraft’s pitch angle becomes too high during takeoff or landing, causing a portion of the tail or lower rear fuselage to contact the runway surface. Reports indicate that the marks found near the APU inlet have led investigators to examine whether the aircraft’s aft underside touched the pavement during the landing sequence on August 19.
India-based aviation outlets note that the affected aircraft is an Airbus A321neo, a stretched version of the A320 family that offers higher seating capacity but also requires careful pitch management during rotation and flare due to its longer fuselage. Previous investigation reports into other A321neo tail strike events have highlighted factors such as high pitch inputs in the flare, partial bounce on touchdown, or misjudgment of landing attitude as potential contributors, prompting regulators and operators to focus on training and approach stabilization.
In the Gorakhpur case, initial walk-around inspections after arrival appear to have been sufficient to flag possible contact with the runway, triggering the decision to keep the aircraft out of commercial service. Further non-destructive testing and structural checks are expected before any return-to-service decision is taken.
Impact on IndiGo Operations and Passengers
Reports from regional news outlets and aviation-focused platforms indicate that the grounding of the A321neo has affected at least one subsequent IndiGo rotation planned from Gorakhpur to Delhi, with the originally scheduled aircraft unavailable while maintenance work proceeds. Passengers on follow-on services have reportedly been accommodated on alternate flights or aircraft where possible, a common response when a narrowbody jet is taken out of the schedule at short notice.
For the passengers on board flight 6E 2381 itself, publicly available information suggests that the event was managed as a precautionary operational maneuver. The go-around was flown before the aircraft completed a final approach and landing, and all those on board were able to disembark normally after the aircraft reached the stand. There have been no indications of injuries or emergency evacuation procedures.
The aircraft’s grounding in Gorakhpur adds localized pressure to IndiGo’s network, as secondary and tier two airports typically have limited spare capacity and fewer standby aircraft than larger hubs. However, the airline’s overall fleet depth and high-frequency network in northern India provide scope to deploy substitute aircraft and re-route passengers as inspections continue.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Safety Record Context
Coverage in national media notes that India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been notified of the Gorakhpur occurrence and that an examination of the event is in progress. Tail strikes involving transport-category jets are routinely documented and analyzed to determine whether any procedural, training or technical changes are warranted. Previous DGCA investigation reports into A321neo tail strikes at other Indian airports have underscored the importance of strict adherence to stabilized approach criteria and close monitoring of pitch attitude during landing.
The Gorakhpur incident also comes at a time when IndiGo’s operations are attracting heightened regulatory attention for a range of safety and compliance issues. In July 2026, the airline received a warning letter from the DGCA over shortcomings related to dangerous goods handling procedures, following an earlier cargo spillage case. While that matter is unrelated to the current tail impact at Gorakhpur, the combination of recent findings keeps the carrier’s safety management systems under public and regulatory scrutiny.
Industry safety data compiled for Indian civil airports between 2016 and 2025 show that tail strikes and ground contact events, while relatively infrequent, continue to feature among notable ground incidents. The data highlight that such occurrences are not unique to any single Indian carrier, and regulators have repeatedly urged airlines to integrate lessons from each event into recurrent training and operational oversight.
Broader Implications for A321neo Operations in India
The suspected tail strike at Gorakhpur adds to a small but visible series of A321neo incidents in the Indian market over recent years. In documented cases involving IndiGo and other operators, tail contact events have typically been associated with landing conditions rather than structural or design issues, with investigations pointing to handling factors, approach dynamics or weather-related challenges.
For airports such as Gorakhpur, where traffic has been growing and infrastructure upgrades are under discussion, the episode underscores the importance of runway condition monitoring, approach procedure design and airside safety management as larger jets and higher frequencies are introduced. Media reports have noted ongoing efforts to expand facilities at Mahayogi Gorakhnath Airport in response to increasing passenger numbers from eastern Uttar Pradesh.
For IndiGo and other A321neo operators, the Gorakhpur event is likely to feed back into internal flight data monitoring programs, simulator training scenarios and route risk assessments. By treating the occurrence as an opportunity to reinforce best practices in landing technique and operational decision-making, carriers can aim to reduce the likelihood of recurrence while maintaining public confidence in the aircraft type on busy domestic routes between Delhi and emerging regional destinations.
Times Now Navbharat coverage of the Gorakhpur tail strike
Report on IndiGo A321neo grounding at Gorakhpur