2 weeks ago
Air India Phuket-Delhi flight logged nine warnings before altitude drop
An Air India airplane traveling from Phuket to Delhi suddenly dropped a little in the sky over India.
Inside the cockpit, nine warning lights and messages lit up all at once in just one minute.
The warnings were about parts like the plane's hydraulic system, autopilot, and wing controls.
The pilots still managed to land the plane safely in Delhi.
The captain told investigators he had fallen asleep for a little while during the flight and was standing in the cockpit when the drop happened.
A test showed the captain had used a drug called cannabis, which pilots are not supposed to use.
Some passengers and crew members got hurt during the sudden drop.
Investigators are now trying to figure out exactly what made the plane drop and whether the warnings caused it.
Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 (VT-EXO) flying from Phuket to Delhi, suddenly dropped about 300 to 360 feet over Odisha on August 4.
A post-flight fault log recorded nine warning messages within one minute at around 9:32 am IST, covering hydraulic pressure, reservoir levels, autopilot disconnects and elevator flight-control faults.
The aircraft carried 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members; 20 passengers and four crew members were injured, though the plane stabilised and landed safely in Delhi.
The captain told investigators he slept for 30 to 35 minutes during the flight, left the cockpit, and was thrown to the floor when the event occurred while the first officer was flying.
The captain's initial drug screening was 'non-negative' and his confirmatory test was positive for cannabis; the AAIB and DGCA are investigating the serious incident.
- Who
- The crew and 137 passengers of Air India flight AI2379, including the captain and first officer, with investigations led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
- What
- A sudden altitude drop of about 300 to 360 feet that triggered a cluster of in-flight technical warnings and injured passengers and crew members.
- Where
- Over Odisha, India, during the flight from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi.
- When
- August 4, with the cluster of nine warnings logged at around 9:32 am IST.
- Why
- The cause has not been determined; the fault-log pattern may indicate a temporary event such as a sharp vertical movement, and investigators are examining the sequence of events, system data and crew actions.
Turbulence or Technical Cause
Crew Conduct Focus
Cause of the altitude drop
Turbulence or Technical Cause
Air India initially described the event as related to turbulence, and the fault log itself does not confirm whether the warnings were directly linked to the altitude loss or involved an actual loss of pressure or fluid.
Crew Conduct Focus
The post-flight log shows repeated hydraulic, autopilot and elevator flight-control warnings clustered around the moment of the drop, which indicates a possible technical problem rather than simple turbulence.
Pilot's role in the incident
Turbulence or Technical Cause
The captain's conduct — sleeping for 30 to 35 minutes, leaving the cockpit, and later testing positive for cannabis — raises questions about his fitness and attention during the flight.
Crew Conduct Focus
The first officer was operating the aircraft at the time, no link between the drug test result and the incident has been established, and investigators are still reviewing all technical data and crew actions.
Key facts
- Airline
- Air India
- Flight number
- AI2379
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320, registration VT-EXO
- Route and date
- Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi; August 4
- On board
- 137 passengers (including 3 infants) and 8 crew members
- Injuries
- 20 passengers and 4 crew members injured
- Altitude change
- From about 36,160 ft to 35,800 ft (around 360 ft; also reported as a 300-ft drop)
- Investigation
- Classified as a serious incident; under probe by the AAIB and DGCA
Quotes
A government source
An unnamed official from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
“The post‑flight Centralised Fault Display System log generated for Airbus A320 VT‑EXO operating the flight revealed a series of technical warnings involving the aircraft's hydraulic systems, flight controls, and autopilot during its journey from Phuket to Delhi on August 4”
livemint.com
Sources
Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Scare: A320 Logged 9 System Warnings During Sudden Mid-Air Altitude Drop
Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that dropped 300 feet ‘logged nine warnings in a minute’: Report reveals details
Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Logged 9 Warnings Within A Minute Before Sudden Altitude Drop
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