A preliminary investigation into the August 4 Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi has revealed that all three hydraulic systems lost pressure while the Airbus A320 was cruising at 36,000 feet. The resulting autopilot disengagement and sudden altitude upset caused injuries to 24 people on board. Despite the cabin damage, the crew successfully landed the aircraft in Delhi 90 minutes later.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau confirmed that the pilot-in-command tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance, a result verified by a follow-up blood test, while the co-pilot tested negative. The bureau has recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation take priority action regarding the captain.
Investigators are currently reviewing the aircraft's maintenance records, noting it was dispatched with an active Minimum Equipment List item for the Power Transfer Unit. Technical teams from Airbus and France's BEA are assisting in the ongoing analysis of the hydraulic components and flight recorder data.
