Air India Phuket–Delhi Flight Lost Key Controls During 300-Foot Drop

An Air India Airbus A320neo flying from Phuket to Delhi briefly lost key flight-control capability after all three hydraulic systems registered pressure losses, according to a preliminary Airbus analysis of the August 4 incident.

Flight AI2379 suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude during the incident. Twenty-four of the 145 people on board were injured, while the aircraft subsequently landed safely in Delhi.

Key Controls Unresponsive for Around Four Seconds

The preliminary Airbus assessment found that the aircraft’s three hydraulic systems became unavailable in rapid succession. The elevators and ailerons primary control surfaces used to manage pitch and roll — were unresponsive for approximately four seconds before hydraulic pressure recovered.

The sequence lasted only several seconds, but it resulted in a sudden altitude loss and forces that Airbus said exceeded prescribed structural limits.

Hydraulic Systems Under Scrutiny

Hydraulic systems use pressurised fluid to operate important aircraft components, including flight controls. Airbus requested inspections of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, associated sensors and wiring as investigators work to determine why multiple systems lost pressure almost simultaneously.

Investigation Continues

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has classified the event as a serious incident and is investigating. Airbus and France’s aviation accident investigation agency, the BEA, are assisting with the technical inquiry.

Investigators are expected to examine flight-recorder data, maintenance history, technical components and statements from the flight crew before reaching conclusions about the cause.

Initial Turbulence Explanation Reassessed

Early reports described the event as a turbulence-related incident. Air India later acknowledged that the aircraft had experienced a sudden altitude loss, while the Airbus analysis indicates that hydraulic-system failures and the temporary loss of primary flight controls are central to the technical investigation.

Aircraft Landed Safely

Despite the abrupt descent and injuries on board, the pilots continued the flight and the A320neo landed safely in Delhi. The aircraft is subject to technical assessment as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the event.

Key Facts

•    Flight: Air India AI2379
•    Route: Phuket to Delhi
•    Date of incident: August 4, 2026
•    Aircraft: Airbus A320neo
•    Altitude loss: About 300 feet
•    People on board: 145
•    Injured: 24
•    Key flight controls affected: Elevators and ailerons for around four seconds
•    Investigation: India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with technical assistance from Airbus and France’s BEA

Editorial note: The Airbus assessment is preliminary. The cause of the hydraulic-system losses has not yet been established, and final conclusions should await the official investigation.

Sources: Reuters, August 14, 2026; additional reporting on the preliminary Airbus analysis and the ongoing investigation. Rewritten and restructured for publication.