An Air India Airbus A320 operating flight AI 2379 from Phuket to New Delhi suddenly lost 300 feet in altitude during cruise on August 4, injuring 17 people on board and triggering a multi-agency international investigation. According to reports from Firstpost and Business Today, the mid-air drop caused chaos inside the cabin as luggage fell from overhead bins and passengers experienced severe turbulence and technical malfunctions, including triple hydraulic failures and autopilot disconnection.
Investigation Into Technical Malfunctions and Hydraulic Failures
According to Business Today, the aircraft experienced multiple mechanical glitches during the journey, including an autopilot disconnection and a flight control stall message. While the co-pilot manually regained control of the aircraft, the flight encountered mid-air turbulence alongside indicator switches briefly going off. Crucial hydraulic systems required for flight control also failed, though the flight crew managed to continue the journey and land safely in Delhi with 137 passengers and eight crew members on board, as reported by Business Today.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the probe under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 guidelines. Because the Airbus A320 was manufactured in France, the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) and technical specialists from Airbus were dispatched to India to assist local authorities with the inquiry, according to Business Today.
Pilot Scrutiny and Substance Testing Protocols
Following the incident, the pilot-in-command came under scrutiny after an initial psychoactive substance screening returned a result requiring further analysis. According to Firstpost, the civil aviation ministry stated on August 9 that the pilot underwent confirmatory testing, with results pending. Both the pilot-in-command and co-pilot were grounded and taken off the roster by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) pending the outcome of the investigation, as noted by Business Today.
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India stated that commonly used over-the-counter medications can trigger a non-negative screening result during psychoactive substance testing, emphasizing the necessity of awaiting confirmatory test results before drawing conclusions, according to Firstpost.
Passenger Accounts and Cabin Injuries
The sudden altitude drop resulted in 17 injuries among passengers and crew, requiring medical attention at Delhi airport and subsequent hospital admissions. Passenger Shrikant Jha told CNBCTV18, as cited by Firstpost, that the flight felt smooth before an unusual disturbance sound began. “For about 30 to 40 seconds, we genuinely felt we were gone,” Jha said.
Another passenger, Minchen, documented the event on social media, describing people being thrown into the air and hitting their heads during the drop. According to Business Today, two cabin crew members were admitted to Fortis Hospital for spinal injuries, while several passengers sustained trauma, including rib injuries, when individuals and service carts were tossed about the cabin.