In a terrifying mid-air ordeal, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar on May 22 encountered a violent thunderstorm, intense turbulence, and hailstorm-induced system failures, forcing an emergency descent at an alarming rate of 8,500 feet per minute.
Flight 6E-2142, carrying over 220 passengers including a delegation of five Members of Parliament, was cruising at 36,000 feet when it entered severe weather near Pathankot, close to the Pakistan border. In a desperate bid to avoid the storm system, the pilots sought emergency clearance to briefly enter Pakistani airspace. The request, made first via India’s Northern Air Force control and then directly to Lahore ATC, was declined.
With no option to retreat and encircled by storm clouds, the flight continued into the weather. Inside the thunderstorm, the Airbus A321neo was pounded by hail, which triggered multiple system faults, most notably an Angle of Attack (AoA) sensor failure and a shift to ‘Alternate Law’ mode, disabling crucial protections like stall and overspeed safeguards.
As the autopilot disengaged, the pilots manually controlled the aircraft amid rapidly fluctuating airspeed readings and warning alerts. At one point, the aircraft descended at a staggering 8,500 ft/min – far beyond the normal descent rate of 1,500–3,000 ft/min.
Despite the chaos, the pilots stabilized the aircraft and continued toward Srinagar, where they safely landed under an emergency “PAN PAN” declaration. A post-flight inspection revealed significant damage to the aircraft’s radome, likely caused by hail impact. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Among the shaken passengers was a Trinamool Congress delegation, including MP Sagarika Ghose, who described the experience as “near-death.” Videos from inside the cabin showed passengers praying and panicking as the jet shook violently. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a formal investigation. IndiGo confirmed the aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks before returning to service.
