An aircraft operated by Air India Express made a hard landing at Phuket International Airport in Phuket, Thailand, after experiencing a nose-wheel malfunction during touchdown. The incident briefly disrupted operations at the airport before authorities cleared the runway.
The flight had departed from Hyderabad and was carrying more than a hundred passengers and crew members when the issue occurred during landing. Officials confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft and no injuries were reported.
Nose Wheel Damaged During Landing
According to early reports, the aircraft’s nose landing gear was damaged when it touched down on the runway. The front section of the plane reportedly scraped the runway surface after the wheel malfunctioned.
Visuals circulating online showed the aircraft struggling to maintain stability as it slowed down on the runway. Airport emergency teams quickly responded to secure the aircraft and assist passengers.
Passengers Safely Evacuated
Airport authorities confirmed that all 133 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated after the landing. Emergency procedures were activated immediately following the incident.
Passengers were later escorted to the terminal building while airport staff assessed the condition of the aircraft.
Runway Temporarily Closed
The aircraft remained on the runway for some time because it could not move on its own following the landing gear damage. As a result, the runway at Phuket airport was temporarily closed while ground teams worked to remove the aircraft.
The closure caused short delays to other flights arriving at or departing from the airport.
Videos Of Incident Circulate Online
Videos captured by people near the runway soon surfaced online, showing the aircraft during the landing sequence. Some footage appeared to show smoke near the wheels as the plane slowed down.
Phuket International Airport has been temporarily closed following a landing incident involving Air India Express flight IX938.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Reg: VT-BWQ) from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport reportedly suffered a nose wheel failure on landing, leaving the aircraft… pic.twitter.com/I8IoyQrYfs— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) March 11, 2026
The videos quickly spread on social media, drawing widespread attention to the dramatic landing.
Investigation Underway
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the landing gear malfunction. Aviation officials will examine the aircraft’s technical condition as well as operational factors to determine what led to the incident.
For now, officials confirmed that the situation was brought under control quickly and airport operations resumed after the runway was cleared.
