According to the preliminary Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau report, the Airbus A320neo suffered an “altitude upset” after losing all three hydraulic systems.
Published: September 4, 2026, 6:34 PM IST
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A staff member is present with an injured passenger on a stretcher after several passengers, including crew members, got injured as Air India flight (AI2379) from Phuket to Delhi experienced a brief in-flight turbulence in New DelhiANI
The Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 briefly lost altitude after all three hydraulic systems lost pressure while the aircraft was cruising at 36,000 feet, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in its preliminary report released FridayThe incident injured 24 people and led to the autopilot disengaging, flight-control warnings and a brief “stall warning”.
The AAIB noted that neither the flight crew nor air traffic control had reported any bad weather during the incidentA stall warning is designed to alert pilots that the aircraft’s wings may be nearing a condition where they cannot produce enough lift.
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According to the AAIB report, a confirmatory test found the pilot-in-command “non-negative” for a psychoactive substanceThe agency recommended that the DGCA take necessary steps to prevent the abuse of such substancesThe co-pilot tested negative.
“The confirmation of use of psychoactive substance is a serious concern and AAIB recommends appropriate actions by DGCA on priority,” the preliminary report mentioned.
What happened to the aircraft?
The aircraft, an Airbus A320-251N bearing registration VT-EXO, was carrying 145 people, including 137 passengers, six cabin crew and two flight crewThe aircraft took off from Phuket at 7:11 am Indian Standard Time and was cleared by Kolkata ATC to climb to 36,000 feetAt 9:32 am, while flying at that altitude, it detected a pressure loss in the Green hydraulic system.
Four seconds later, pressure was also lost in the Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems, the report saidThese systems use high-pressure fluid to power key aircraft controlsThe A320 has three separate hydraulic systems, each supported by its own reservoir and pressure sources.
At 9:32:48 am, the autopilot disengaged and a continuous warning chime soundedThree seconds later, the stall warning was triggered for two secondsThe co-pilot, who was flying the aircraft, responded to the situation before the pilot-in-command took over the controls, the report mentioned.
The aircraft then experienced an altitude upset, initially gaining 372 feet and subsequently falling 292 feet from its assigned “Flight Level 360” (which is 36,000 feet)The Blue hydraulic system recovered at around 9:32:52 am, followed a few seconds later by the Yellow and Green systemsThe recovery of the hydraulic systems restored the flight-control surfaces and the aircraft returned to normal operating conditions.
“Consequently, this led to the recovery of the Flight control (F/CTL) surfacesSubsequently, the aircraft operation returned to its normal operating condition,” the report mentioned.
At the time of the incident, the seat-belt signs were off, resulting in injuries to passengers and cabin crewAfter the cabin supervisor informed the cockpit about the injuries, the crew assessed the situation and chose to continue the flight to Delhi instead of diverting to the nearest airportThe pilots later sought medical priority from Delhi ATC, the report said.
The aircraft landed safely at Delhi International Airport at 11 am IST and taxied to its parking bay under its own powerMedical assistance was provided to 24 people, including 20 passengers and four cabin crewThe aircraft sustained damage at several places inside the cabinThe AAIB found cracked or deformed ceiling panels, dislocated passenger-service panels, a broken overhead handrail, a broken emergency-exit handle and dislodged overhead-bin doorsA lavatory commode was also uprooted, while a crew seat and other panels were damaged.
