New Delhi: Air India Express’ Boeing 737 Max aircraft carrying 138 people had to make a hard landing in Phuket on Wednesday. The plane, which had taken off from Hyderabad, reportedly bounced once after hard landing and then on second contact with the runway, with both the nose wheels separating. It then got stuck on the runway and the airport was closed to flights until its only runway became available again after necessary checks.Fortunately no one on board the plane was injured. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in touch with Thai aviation authorities. The plane has been grounded and the airline will send its engineers to repair it. “The aircraft (VT-BWQ) operating Flight IX 938 (Hyderabad-Phuket) was involved in a suspected hard landing with bounce while landing on Runway 09, Phuket. Passengers were deboarded on the runway and taken to the terminal building. The aircraft was towed to the bay. On March 8, 2026, both nose wheels were replaced as routine maintenance. Investigation followed by consultation with Thailand Aviation Investigation Authorities The incident will be handled by the appropriate authority, Thailand being the state,” said a senior DGCA official.An AI Express spokesperson said: “We confirm that our Hyderabad-Phuket flight on March 11 experienced an issue with the nose wheel at Phuket Airport. The crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned. We thank our guests, Phuket airport authorities and all stakeholders for their cooperation.” The flight with 132 passengers and six crew members had taken off from Hyderabad at 6.23 am and landed at 11.25 am (all times local). A senior B737 captain said: “This is clearly a case of hard landing, with damage to the nose wheel on the second touch down. The best thing would have been for the plane to take off again after bouncing. However only investigation can reveal what really happened. It is also possible that there is a problem with the front wheel of the aircraft. The pilots must have tried their best to make a safe landing.”Experienced pilots say Phuket’s runways have a pronounced slope followed by a downward slope, which can lead to a “winding effect”. Flare perception is the visual and sensory process of sensing altitude, speed, and rate of closure, usually within 15–30 feet of the ground, for a smooth, near-zero vertical speed transition from a descending approach to touchdown. This involves shifting focus from the end of the runway to the sides to use peripheral vision to sense altitude and “ground rush”. One pilot said, “Phuket is a difficult place to land if the winds are strong and thermal on a hot afternoon, which they usually are.”