Plane Entered Steep 8,500-Feet-Per-Minute Descent, Says DGCA

Passengers on an IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Srinagar went through a terrifying experience on Wednesday night after the aircraft flew into a powerful hailstorm and dust storm over North India. The incident occurred amid a massive storm that swept across Delhi-NCR, severely affecting the flight.

According to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft faced intense turbulence while flying near Pathankot, Punjab, at around 36,000 feet. The situation became so critical that the pilots sought permission to divert into Pakistani airspace to avoid the storm. However, both the Indian Air Force's Northern Control and Lahore Air Traffic Control denied the request. Access to Pakistani airspace remains restricted for Indian flights due to ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The DGCA quoted the flight crew as saying they first asked for a deviation toward the international border from Indian authorities, but it was denied. A subsequent request to Lahore ATC was also refused. The Indian Air Force has yet to respond to the DGCA’s claims.

After considering a return to Delhi, the pilots ultimately chose to proceed toward Srinagar, as the aircraft was already too close to the storm system. It was hit by heavy hail and violent turbulence, as the plane entered the storm. Critical systems began issuing warnings, and panic reportedly spread among the more than 220 passengers on board.

At one point, the aircraft experienced a steep and rapid descent, dropping at a rate of 8,500 feet per minute. The flight crew declared a ‘PAN PAN’ emergency call—an alert indicating urgency, but not immediate danger—and flew the aircraft manually out of the storm.

The flight eventually landed safely in Srinagar. No injuries were reported, but a post-flight inspection revealed damage to the aircraft’s nose radome, which protects the radar equipment.

The DGCA has launched an investigation into the incident.