An Air India passenger plane plunged around 300 feet in mid-air after its pilots briefly lost control of key parts of the aircraft, a new investigation has found. The incident happened on August 4, just over a year after another Air India plane crashed in India, killing 260 people. Unlike the 2025 disaster, nobody was killed in this latest incident, although 24 passengers and crew members were injured when people were thrown around the cabin.
Incident details
The Airbus A320neo was flying from Phuket in Thailand to Delhi when it suddenly began losing altitude during the middle of the flight. The aircraft, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew, was able to recover and landed safely in Delhi.
New findings have revealed that the incident was more serious than initially understood. An analysis of the aircraft's data by Airbus found that all three of the systems used to help control the plane appeared to lose pressure at the same time.
Pilots' actions
For around four seconds, some of the aircraft's controls did not respond normally when the pilots tried to move them. As the plane began pitching upwards, its automatic pilot system switched off. The first pilot, who was flying the aircraft, then pushed the controls fully down in an attempt to bring the nose of the plane back down and regain control.
The controls began responding again as pressure returned to the systems, allowing the pilots to stabilise the aircraft. The sudden manoeuvre caused a brief weightless sensation inside the cabin, causing passengers and crew who were not wearing seat belts to be lifted from their seats and thrown against the ceiling. Some suffered injuries including neck and spinal injuries.
Investigation ongoing
Investigators are now trying to establish exactly what caused the three systems to lose pressure at the same time. They are examining whether there was a genuine mechanical problem or whether faulty sensors, wiring or electrical problems produced incorrect warnings in the cockpit.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation, with assistance from Airbus and France's aviation safety investigators. The incident has also prompted scrutiny of the flight's captain after a mandatory drug test reportedly returned positive for marijuana. Both pilots have been removed from flying duties while the investigation continues. Air India has since ordered drug screening for all of its pilots.
The incident marks the latest blow to Air India, which is facing a series of safety-related investigations. The privately owned airline has been under growing pressure since the 2025 crash, sparking an investigation into multiple lapses and heightening scrutiny of the whole of India's aviation sector.
