An internal maintenance report reveals an Airbus A320neo on an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight suffered hydraulic warnings, autopilot dropouts, and a 300-foot altitude loss on August 4. While the airline initially blamed turbulence and reported minor injuries, officials confirmed 24 people were hurt and the pilot tested positive for marijuana.
New investigative details surrounding the August 4 Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi reveal a sequence of critical technical failures inside the cockpit that sharply contradict the carrier’s initial public descriptions of the incident, according to an NDTV report.
While Air India publicly attributed the sudden altitude loss to routine atmospheric turbulence, post-flight maintenance logs paint a picture of severe mechanical disruption high above the ground.
What the Cockpit Maintenance Log Recorded on August 4
According to a post-flight cockpit maintenance printout published at 11:14 AM after the aircraft landed in Delhi, the Airbus A320neo experienced multiple system failures simultaneously at 9:32 AM. The aircraft relies on three independent hydraulic systems to operate flight controls, landing gear, and brakes. At that exact time, warnings flagged low pressure across all three hydraulic systems at once, accompanied by low fluid levels in two reservoirs.
The hydraulic warnings triggered immediate operational consequences. The autopilot disconnected, and faults registered in both the left and right elevator controls, which govern the pitch of the aircraft. Minutes later, emergency exit door warnings activated for the front-right door at 9:33 AM and the rear-right door at 9:35 AM. Later in the flight, at 10:16 AM, Engine 1’s anti-ice system reported a valve pressure fault, followed by a second autopilot disengagement at 10:52 AM. Technical printouts record these parameter anomalies and warnings, though such readouts do not automatically confirm total mechanical failure.
Air India Public Statements Versus Technical Evidence
The internal log contrasts with statements issued by Air India in the hours following the flight. At 1:14 PM, the airline released an official statement attributing the sudden drop to a brief in-flight turbulence-related event
and asserting that only minor injuries occurred. By 6:55 PM, the airline updated its statement to remove the reference to turbulence while continuing to minimize the severity of the incident.
Despite the airline’s initial characterization of minor bumps, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that at least 20 passengers and four crew members sustained injuries during the 300-foot altitude loss. Two crew members suffered severe spinal and neck injuries, affecting the tailbone and neck areas.
Pilot Drug Screening and Ongoing Investigations
In addition to the mechanical anomalies documented in the maintenance printout, the flight’s pilot tested positive for psychoactive substances during a post-flight medical screening conducted in Delhi. A second confirmatory test validated the initial result, specifically identifying the presence of marijuana, according to NDTV sources.
Aviation authorities are continuing their parallel investigations into both the mechanical anomalies recorded by the aircraft’s systems and the compliance of the flight crew.
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