On Wednesday, an Indigo flight travelling from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe air turbulence while passing through a thunderstorm mid-air, sparking panic among the 227 passengers on board.
The intensity of the turbulence was extraordinary, leading to a distressing experience captured on video by several passengers. The footage—widely shared on social media—shows frightened travelers, some clutching their seats and others praying, as the aircraft shook violently amid the storm.
Adding to the alarm was visible damage to the aircraft, most notably a broken nose section. Images of the damage quickly circulated online after the plane landed safely. Though the aircraft touched down without further incident, the episode highlighted the unpredictable and dangerous nature of extreme weather events in aviation.
WHY WAS THIS INCIDENT SO SEVERE?
While turbulence is a common occurrence for frequent flyers, experts say the severity experienced on this Indigo flight was unusual.
Meteorological specialists from India Today investigated the cause behind this intense episode.
WHY DID THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY GAIN AND THEN LOSE ALTITUDE?
Turbulence usually occurs due to sudden changes in wind speed or direction—particularly near clouds, storms, or jet streams. In this case, the aircraft encountered a rapidly developing thunderstorm, which produced violent updrafts and downdrafts that significantly disturbed the plane’s stability.
These vertical air movements are common in storm systems and result from uneven heating of the earth’s surface, mountainous terrain, and intense storm dynamics. During such events, air can rise or fall at very high speeds.
Initially, the Indigo aircraft experienced an updraft—a rising column of warm air that can lift an aircraft sharply. Normally, pilots try to avoid such systems by rerouting. However, in this situation, downdrafts followed—columns of cooler air descending rapidly, which can push the aircraft downward by thousands of feet. Pilots must exercise great skill to safely navigate these conditions.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS?
RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), explained, “An updraft is a rising current of air, often found within clouds. These are driven by thermal processes—such as daytime heating—where the sun warms the ground, causing air to rise. Water vapour, being lighter than air, ascends rapidly. Conversely, a downdraft is a sinking column of air, usually triggered by cooling effects like the evaporation of cloud particles, which increases air density and drives it downward.”
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INDIGO FLIGHT MID-AIR?
According to experts, the Delhi-Srinagar flight got caught in a strong updraft-downdraft cycle, with vertical air currents possibly displacing the aircraft by 2,000 to 6,000 feet.
These thunderstorm systems can reach altitudes of up to 3 kilometres, and their intensity often matches the size of the thermal radius. Some experts noted that the flight likely encountered a microburst—a powerful downdraft known for causing severe wind shear and sudden drops in altitude.
“During the turbulence, the flight also flew through a hailstorm. As the aircraft ascended, moisture condensed and cooled rapidly, likely forming large hailstones. These hailstones may have damaged the aircraft’s nose, as seen in the viral images,” Jenamani added.
COULD THIS SITUATION HAVE BEEN AVOIDED?
On the day of the incident, a massive thunderstorm system spanned the northwestern region of India—from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh. Aviation experts emphasise that flying through active thunderstorm zones should always be avoided. In emergencies, pilots typically reroute around such systems.
According to PTI reports, the Indigo pilot requested permission to enter Pakistani airspace to evade the storm. However, the request was denied, leaving no alternative but to continue through the turbulent zone.
Despite the severe conditions, the pilot acted swiftly and maintained a safe altitude, avoiding further complications and ensuring a safe landing.