Air India A320 Lost Flight Controls for Four Seconds, Airbus Says
An initial Airbus analysis says an Air India A320 briefly lost elevator and aileron control after all three hydraulic systems registered failures. The aircraft recovered and landed safely, but investigators have not established the cause.
Air India A320 briefly lost key flight controls, Airbus analysis shows
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Four seconds without normal pitch and roll control
An Air India Airbus A320 flying from Phuket to Delhi lost normal elevator and aileron control for about four seconds during an August 4 altitude upset, an initial Airbus analysis found. Flight AI2379 dropped roughly 300 feet before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi; 24 of the 145 people aboard were injured.reuters +1
The analysis said the aircraft’s Green, Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems registered failures within two seconds and recovered about seven seconds after the first failure. During the interruption, the first officer commanded full nose-down input but received no direct response from the control surfaces.newindianexpress +1
Redundant systems failed almost together
The A320 uses three independent hydraulic systems to preserve control if one fails. In this event, pressure indications for all three dropped almost simultaneously, temporarily depriving the elevators and ailerons of hydraulic actuation. The autopilot disconnected as the aircraft pitched up, and the controls began responding again after pressure returned.hindustantimes +1
That sequence changes the focus from the turbulence initially cited by Air India to a rare technical event whose origin remains unexplained. Airbus has not determined whether all three systems physically lost pressure or whether faulty signals produced the indications, and it requested further system, sensor and pilot-report checks from the airline.independent +1
Investigators have not assigned a cause
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has classified the episode as a serious incident and is examining recorded flight data, the aircraft and its systems, maintenance records, medical evidence and human factors. Airbus and France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety are providing technical assistance.independent +1
The captain separately tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test, prompting Air India to begin mandatory psychoactive-substance testing for all pilots. No link has been established between that result and the altitude loss, and the technical sequence shows the first officer was flying when the controls briefly failed to answer the nose-down command.independent +1
The distinction matters because a preliminary manufacturer assessment describes what the aircraft recorded, not why it happened. Investigators still need to establish whether a common mechanical failure, sensor problem, electrical fault or another chain of events overcame the jet’s hydraulic redundancy. Until then, neither the pilots’ actions nor the aircraft’s systems can be treated as the sole cause.