Air India Express 737 Tail Strike: CRM Breakdown Prompts DGCA Oversight Review

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) issued a summary report. It details a serious incident involving an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The aircraft suffered a tail strike while landing at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport on April 22, 2025. Flight IX331 originated from Calicut, India. There were 174 people on board, including four cabin crew members. No injuries were reported, but the aircraft sustained minor damage.

Core Findings: Crew Resource Management Breakdown

The AAIS investigation flagged a critical breakdown in Crew Resource Management (CRM). This was identified as a contributing factor to the tail strike incident. The report specifically noted poor coordination between the flight crew.

PF/PM Transfer of Control

The commander, who was the Pilot Monitoring (PM), assumed control at a low altitude. This was done without the standard Pilot Flying (PF) and PM transfer of control callouts. This lapse in procedure led to inconsistent control actions and inadequate flare inputs. This poor coordination negatively affected the execution of a stabilised approach. The aircraft crossed the runway threshold too fast. It was seven knots above the reference speed (Vref) with engine thrust above idle. The descent rate increased to 1,200 feet per minute below 100 feet radio altitude. The incident demonstrated deficiencies in several key areas. These included adherence to the stabilised approach, energy management during landing, bounce recovery, and CRM application.

Recommendations for DGCA and Air India Express

The investigation issued safety recommendations to both the airline and India’s aviation watchdog. The AAIS recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) review its regulatory oversight. The goal is to ensure all operators emphasize stabilised approach criteria. This includes precise energy management and proper bounce recovery techniques. These must be reinforced in both training and operational procedures.

For Air India Express, the AAIS recommended strengthening CRM training. This is to ensure the consistent application of standard PF/PM transfer of control callouts. The airline must also reinforce adherence to stabilised-approach criteria. Training should cover bounce recognition and recovery, including mandatory go-around decision points.

Industry Context and Safety Impact

CRM is a critical skill set in commercial aviation. It involves using all available resources to minimize errors and improve safety. Historically, CRM failure is a major factor in accidents. The Flight Safety Foundation found CRM failure was a causal factor in 63% of approach-and-landing accidents and serious incidents between 1984 and 1997. A separate study noted that 50% of accidents/incidents between 2002 and 2012 involved a CRM-related causal factor. The DGCA has previously warned airlines about landing with an unstabilised approach. An unstabilised approach below 1,000 feet in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) or 500 feet in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) requires an immediate go-around. This incident highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining procedural discipline. It underscores the need for constant reinforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs). This focus is key to approach-and-landing accident reduction globally.