An Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport in Thailand on Wednesday, resulting in damage to the aircraft’s nose wheels and a temporary closure of the runway. All 138 people on board – 132 passengers and six crew members – were safe.
Air India Express Flight IX938 Incident
The aircraft, operating flight IX938 from Hyderabad, reportedly bounced once after the initial hard touchdown. On the second contact with the runway, both nose wheels detached, causing the plane to become stuck. The airport’s sole airstrip was closed pending necessary checks.
According to flight tracking site Flightradar24, the runway remained closed for almost seven hours, leading to the diversion of 20 flights to other airports. The site initially projected the runway would reopen around 21:00 local time.
As of 5:30 am local time, Air India Express stated that the nose wheels had been reinstalled, allowing normal airport operations to resume. The airline apologized for the incident and stated it would be investigated according to established procedures.
The flight departed Hyderabad at 6:23 am and landed in Phuket at 11:25 am local time. The aircraft involved is a Boeing 737 MAX (VT-BWQ). Both nose wheels underwent routine maintenance on March 8, 2026.
A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official stated that an investigation will be carried out in consultation with Thailand Aviation Investigation Authorities, as Thailand is the state of occurrence.
An AI Express spokesperson confirmed the issue with the nose wheel and noted that the crew followed standard protocols in deplaning passengers. They thanked passengers, airport authorities, and stakeholders for their cooperation.
A senior B737 captain described the incident as a clear case of a hard landing, with nose wheel damage occurring on the second touchdown. The captain suggested that a go-around after the initial bounce would have been the best course of action, but emphasized that a full investigation is needed to determine the exact cause, including the possibility of a pre-existing issue with the nose wheel.
Experienced pilots have noted that the Phuket runway has a pronounced upslope followed by a down slope, which can compromise “flare perception” – the process of judging altitude and speed during landing. Landing at Phuket can be particularly challenging with strong winds and thermal activity, common conditions at the airport.
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