New Delhi, August 13, 2026: An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that suddenly lost altitude and left 24 people injured logged nine warnings involving its hydraulic systems, flight controls and autopilot within a minute, according to the aircraft’s post-flight Centralised Fault Display System log.

The August 4 incident involved Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 registered as VT-EXO. The aircraft dropped about 300 feet during the flight, injuring 20 passengers and four crew members. The incident was classified as serious and prompted an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Nine Warnings In One Minute

The log, seen by HT, showed nine warning messages at 9.32 am IST, when the aircraft had crossed the Odisha coast after flying over the Bay of Bengal.

The warnings indicated low pressure in the Green, Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems in different combinations. They also indicated low reservoir levels in the Yellow and Blue systems, an autopilot disconnect and an elevator flight-control fault.

The cluster of warnings is significant because an aircraft’s hydraulic systems use pressurised fluid to transmit power and operate heavy mechanical components. The fact that several warnings appeared within such a short period makes the sequence an important part of the investigation into the sudden altitude change.

Door Sensors Flag Faults

Two emergency-exit door sensor warnings were recorded at 9.33 am and 9.35 am. However, no further warnings involving the hydraulic systems or elevator were recorded for the next 43 minutes.

An engine anti-ice fault appeared at 10.16 am, followed by another autopilot disconnect at 10.52 am. Unlike the first autopilot disconnect, the second was not accompanied by hydraulic warnings. The log did not give a reason for the disconnect, Hindustan Times reports.

The hydraulic pressure readings also changed across different combinations of systems within the same minute instead of showing one system failing and remaining in that condition.

Based on HT’s reading of the log against standard A320 fault-code references, this pattern could indicate a temporary event, such as a sharp vertical movement or sudden loss of altitude. Such movement can briefly shift fluid inside the hydraulic reservoirs. A sustained mechanical fault would likely have generated additional warnings, including messages showing that the problem had recurred.

Flight Data Shows 360-Foot Descent

Flightradar24 data placed the altitude change within the same minute as the cluster of warnings. The aircraft was flying at 36,160 feet when an altitude anomaly was recorded at 9.33 am IST.

It then descended to around 35,800 feet, a loss of about 360 feet, according to Flightradar24 data. The timing puts the altitude change and the multiple aircraft warnings in close proximity, although the information available does not establish what caused the incident.

Pilot Slept During Flight

The pilot told investigators that he slept for 30 to 35 minutes during the flight, went to the washroom and later returned to stand behind the first officer, according to two people familiar with his account to the AAIB.

The two people said the pilot was talking about the air-conditioning system when the altitude event occurred and was thrown to the cockpit floor. The first officer was operating the aircraft at the time, while the commander was acting as the pilot monitoring.

Pilot’s Drug Test Returned Positive

The pilot’s initial post-flight drug screening was recorded as “non-negative”, meaning the sample had been flagged for further testing. His confirmatory test later returned positive for cannabis.

Also Watch:

Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Scare: A320 Logged 9 System Warnings During Sudden Mid-Air Altitude Drop