Air India Flight AI-2379 Loses Altitude, 24 Injured

On August 4, Air India flight AI-2379 experienced a sudden loss of altitude while en route from Phuket to Delhi, resulting in injuries to 24 people.

The Aircraft Accident Information Bureau (AAIB) has released a preliminary investigation report, which reveals that the flight lost hydraulic power for approximately nine seconds and generated five different warnings.

The incident occurred when the aircraft, registered as VT-EXO in India, was in its cruising phase in the Kolkata flight information region. The flight control system detected the loss of one of the three independent hydraulic systems, followed by the loss of the remaining two systems four seconds later.

This led to the unprompted disengagement of the autopilot, triggering a continuous repetitive chime signaling a critical system failure. The pilots did not have any hydraulic system control for four seconds until they gradually recovered on their own.

The technical issues caused the flight to gain 372ft in altitude and then drop to 292ft below the 36,000ft flight level, resulting in a total drop of around 664ft. This led to multiple damages to the aircraft cabin, including cracks and deformation in overhead ceiling panels, dislocation of passenger service units, and multiple overhead bin storage doors dislodged.

The post-flight report reflected multiple in-flight warning and failure messages, including loss of pressure in all three hydraulic systems, autopilot disengagement, loss of both elevators, fluid levels dropping below the predetermined threshold, and emergency door warnings.

The AAIB has secured both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, which are under analysis at the agency’s headquarters. It has also removed relevant hydraulic components from the aircraft for analysis.

The pilot-in-command, with a flying experience of about 5,055 hours, failed the post-flight psychoactive substance test. The AAIB has suggested that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take action to prevent abuse of psychoactive substances among pilots.

The incident highlights the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of pilots, as well as the need for strict regulations and monitoring to prevent the use of psychoactive substances.

The AAIB's investigation is ongoing, and the agency will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

In the meantime, the incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks associated with air travel and the need for constant vigilance and monitoring to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

The DGCA has been recommended to take action to prevent the abuse of psychoactive substances among pilots, which is a serious concern that can have significant consequences for the safety of air travel.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of air travel and the need for stricter regulations and monitoring to prevent such incidents in the future.

The AAIB's investigation will help to identify the causes of the incident and provide recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The safety of air travel is a top priority, and incidents like this highlight the need for constant vigilance and monitoring to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.