Air India A320 Briefly Lost Key Flight Controls, Airbus Finds
An Air India Airbus A320 briefly lost access to key flight controls after all three hydraulic systems registered pressure losses during a flight from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, according to a preliminary Airbus analysis reviewed by Reuters. The aircraft dropped around 300 feet, injuring 24 people, before landing safely in Delhi. Airbus said the elevators and ailerons were unavailable for about four seconds, during which the pilots had limited control over the aircraft’s movement.
The analysis found that the aircraft pitched upward during the incident, while the first officer applied a full nose-down input without an immediate response from the flight-control surfaces. The hydraulic systems recovered within seconds, but Airbus has not yet determined what caused the pressure loss. The planemaker has asked Air India to conduct checks on the hydraulic systems, pressure sensors, switches and wiring, as well as inspect the aircraft for possible structural damage caused by forces exceeding specified limits.
Indian authorities have classified the incident as serious, with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau leading the investigation with technical assistance from Airbus and France’s BEA. Air India had initially attributed the event to turbulence but later described it as a sudden loss of altitude. The incident comes as the airline faces heightened safety scrutiny following the June 2025 Ahmedabad crash and prepares for a leadership transition.
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