Air India said that the flight, AI2651, has been grounded for “detailed inspection”.

An Air India aircraft flying on the Delhi-Bengaluru sector scraped against the runway during an attempt to land at Bengaluru airport before it performed a go-around on Thursday, officials said.

The plane has been grounded, and an investigation into the incident has been initiated by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), an official familiar with the matter said.

The pilots have been off rostered pending an investigation, the official added.

“Flight AI-2651, operating from Delhi to Bengaluru on 21 May, experienced a tail-strike during landing. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked normally,” said an Air India spokesperson said.

A tail-strike is when the tail portion of the aircraft touches the runway first during landing or during take-off due to high nose altitude.

“The aircraft has been grounded for detailed inspection. The incident will be investigated in accordance with established procedures, in coordination with the relevant regulatory authorities,” the spokesperson added.

The airline said the return Bengaluru-Delhi flight, AI-2652, was cancelled after the plane was grounded.

“Alternative arrangements are being made to accommodate affected passengers at the earliest. Our ground teams in Bengaluru are providing all necessary assistance. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority,” the spokesperson said.

A second airline official said the incident took place due to wake turbulence, which occurs when a plane passes by another aircraft and gets caught in the other aircraft’s stream. The bigger the plane, the more severe the turbulence.

A freight B-747 had just taken off when the Air India flight attempted to land. It was during this attempt that the tail strike occurred, prompting the pilot of the A-321 to perform a go-around due to wind disturbances, the official said.

DGCA has not commented on the details of the incident yet.