UAE probe urges DGCA to tighten regulatory oversight after Air India Express tail-strike incident

The UAE’s aircraft accident investigation agency has recommended that the watchdog, DGCA, review and enhance regulatory oversight to ensure airlines focus on a stabilised approach during landings in a probe report on the tail-strike incident involving an Air India Express aircraft.

An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating flight IX331 from Calicut (in Kerala) suffered a tail strike while landing at the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport on April 22, 2025. There were 174 people on board, including 4 cabin crew members. There were no injuries, while the aircraft suffered minor damage.

In its summary report issued last month, the Air Accident Investigation Sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has flagged a breakdown in Crew Resource Management (CRM) as a contributing factor for the tail strike incident.

“… The commander assumed control at low altitude without the standard PF (Pilot Flying)/PM (Pilot Monitoring) transfer of control callouts. This resulted in poor coordination, which adversely affected the execution of a stabilised approach and the appropriate flare manoeuvre,” the report said.

According to the probe agency, the incident demonstrated deficiencies in adherence to the stabilised approach, energy management, bounce recovery, and CRM application.

“Therefore, the Investigation recommends that the DGCA review and enhance regulatory oversight to ensure operators emphasise stabilised approach criteria, precise energy management during landing, and proper bounce recovery techniques in both training and operational procedures,” it said.

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Besides, it has been recommended that Air India Express reinforce with the flight crew adherence to stabilised-approach criteria and energy management standards during landing, and on bounce recognition and recovery, including mandatory go-around decision points.

While noting that the flight’s commander assumed control at low altitude without the standard PF/PM callouts, the report said the breakdown in CRM contributed to inadequate flare inputs and inconsistent control actions.

“Therefore, the Investigation recommends that the operator strengthen CRM training to ensure standard PF/PM transfer of control callouts are consistently applied,” it added.