Air India flight AI2379 recorded multiple hydraulic, autopilot and flight-control warnings before a sudden 300-foot altitude loss on August 4.<\/p>\n
A maintenance report from Air India flight AI2379, which operated from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, indicates that the aircraft recorded multiple technical warnings around the time it experienced a sudden 300-foot loss of altitude during cruise.<\/p>\n
The incident injured several passengers and crew members. Air India initially described the event as turbulence-related before removing the reference to turbulence from its later statement.<\/p>\n
The Airbus A320neo was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi at 11:07 am, according to Air India\u2019s updated statement.<\/p>\n
The maintenance report was printed in the cockpit at 11:14 am after the aircraft landed in Delhi.<\/p>\n
At 1:14 pm, Air India said the aircraft had experienced a \u201cbrief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise\u201d, resulting in a momentary change in altitude. The airline initially said that a small number of passengers and crew members had minor injuries and were taken for medical assessment.<\/p>\n
Five hours later, at 6:55 pm, Air India issued an updated statement. The reference to turbulence was removed, with the airline instead describing the incident as a \u201csudden loss of altitude during cruise\u201d.<\/p>\n
The revised statement said 13 passengers and four crew members sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical evaluation.<\/p>\n
However, the statement did not mention the hydraulic warnings or other technical issues recorded in the maintenance report.<\/p>\n
According to the report, warnings indicating low pressure appeared in all three hydraulic systems at around 9:32 am. Low fluid levels were also recorded in two hydraulic reservoirs.<\/p>\n
The report also indicated that the autopilot disconnected at around the same time and that faults were flagged in the aircraft\u2019s left and right elevator controls.<\/p>\n
Further warnings followed. At 9:33 am, a warning was recorded for the right front emergency exit door, while another warning involving the right rear door appeared at 9:35 am.<\/p>\n
At 10:16 am, the aircraft\u2019s Engine 1 anti-ice system recorded a fault linked to a valve pressure issue. The autopilot disconnected again at 10:52 am.<\/p>\n
A warning on an aircraft maintenance report does not necessarily mean that a system completely failed. However, the combination of hydraulic, flight-control and autopilot warnings is significant and would warrant investigation by aviation safety and maintenance authorities.<\/p>\n
The incident is also being examined in connection with the pilots.<\/p>\n