An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi dropped approximately 300 feet [1] mid-air, leaving 14 people injured [3].
The incident raises concerns regarding the technical reliability of the aircraft and the handling of critical system failures during cruise flight.
Flight AI2379 [5], an Airbus A320 with registration VT-EXO [6], was operating from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, on Aug. 4, 2024 [7]. Around 9:32 AM local time [3], the aircraft experienced a series of critical system warnings [3]. These included low hydraulic pressure in the Green, Blue, and Yellow systems [4], as well as elevator-control faults [4].
The technical crisis caused the autopilot to disengage [4], leading to the sudden loss of altitude. The descent threw passengers around the cabin, resulting in 14 injuries [3]. Despite the failures, the flight crew managed to stabilize the aircraft and land safely in Delhi [2].
Reports indicate the altitude loss was approximately 300 feet [1]. The combination of multiple hydraulic failures and control faults suggests a significant technical malfunction during the flight's cruise phase [4].
Air India has faced scrutiny over whether the severity of the technical crisis was downplayed following the event [1]. The aircraft involved, VT-EXO [6], has been the subject of review following the mid-air incident [2].
“An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi dropped approximately 300 feet mid-air, leaving 14 people injured.”
The simultaneous failure of three separate hydraulic systems—Green, Blue, and Yellow—represents a severe redundancy breach in an Airbus A320. While the aircraft landed safely, the resulting injuries and autopilot disengagement highlight the risks associated with combined control system faults, placing significant pressure on the flight crew to maintain manual control during a crisis.
