Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft have experienced 31 instances worldwide where a crucial emergency device, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), deployed without any command from the pilots or an actual emergency, a senior official has revealed, as per a report by the news agency PTI.
The information was uncovered just days after an Air India Boeing 787 flight from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced this exact issue on October 4, where the turbine deployed just seconds before the plane landed safely.
In simple terms, the Ram Air Turbine is a small propeller that drops from the aircraft’s body to use wind speed to generate essential power for the plane’s flight controls if both engines or primary electrical systems fail. It is a critical backup system that should only activate in a dire emergency.
According to the official, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), received a briefing from Boeing on the matter, the PTI report mentioned.
The investigation has pointed to a specific maintenance issue. The official noted that most of these 31 “uncommanded deployments” globally occurred within six months of maintenance work that required the turbine to be manually stowed.
The problem appears linked to a specific component in the locking mechanism. In 29 of the 31 cases, the aircraft involved had an older version of a part called a “shuttle valve.”
An official explained that when this turbine is manually stowed during maintenance, the locking toggle might not seat perfectly. Later, normal vibrations from takeoff, landing, or even a rough runway can cause this lock to slip, releasing the emergency turbine when it is not needed.
The Air India aircraft (VT-ANO) involved in the October 4 incident reportedly had this older-style valve and had undergone maintenance on the turbine system in July 2025. PTI reported that 19 aircraft in Air India’s fleet do not have the modified part.
Following the Birmingham incident, the DGCA took immediate action. The regulator ordered Air India to meticulously on all its Dreamliners that had undergone similar maintenance in the past six months.
An official has now confirmed that 16 aircraft were identified for this preventive check. Of those, 14 have already had the procedure repeated to ensure the locking mechanism is secure. The remaining two aircraft are scheduled to undergo the check during their next maintenance.
This specific technical issue has surfaced amid wider safety concerns raised by pilot groups. Earlier this month, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) had written to the Civil Aviation Ministry, demanding that for a thorough inspection of their electrical systems, citing “continuous electrical problems.”
The pilots’ federation had pointed to the October 4 Birmingham incident as well as the tragic crash of an Air India 787 in Ahmedabad on June 12.
However, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has clarified that the October 4 Birmingham incident, where the turbine deployed just before landing, had “no connection” to the fatal June crash. In the June tragedy, the turbine also deployed, but investigators believe that was triggered by a dual engine shutdown caused by a fuel supply cut-off.