Air India Pilot News: The mystery surrounding Air India flight AI2379’s sudden altitude loss over Odisha has deepened after a purported post-flight aircraft log revealed a burst of technical warnings around the time of the incident. The Airbus A320, flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 with 137 people onboard, reportedly recorded multiple alerts involving its hydraulic systems, flight controls and autopilot shortly before it dropped roughly 300-360 feet.
The findings have added a new technical angle to an incident that was initially described as turbulence-related.
The case has now drawn attention to two separate lines of investigation: whether a temporary aircraft-system event contributed to the altitude change, and what role the cockpit crew’s condition and actions may have played. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are examining the sequence, while reports about the commander’s sleep during the flight and a positive confirmatory cannabis test have added further questions.
Air India Pilot News: Nine Warnings Appeared Within One Minute
According to the purported Centralised Fault Display System log reported by Hindustan Times and ANI, the aircraft generated nine warning messages within about a minute at around 9:32 am IST.
The alerts reportedly included low-pressure warnings involving the aircraft’s green, blue and yellow hydraulic systems, as well as low fluid-level indications in the blue and yellow reservoirs. The same sequence also included warnings linked to the elevator flight-control system.
The timing is significant because flight-tracking data reportedly places the sudden altitude change around the same period. Times of India also reported that the aircraft’s technical alerts included hydraulic, flight-control and autopilot-related warnings.
Air India Pilot News: Hydraulic, Elevator and Autopilot Alerts Raise Questions
The A320 uses hydraulic systems to provide power to several major aircraft components, including flight controls. The reported log showed warnings across multiple hydraulic systems rather than one isolated alert.
Investigators will need to establish whether these messages represented an actual mechanical failure, a temporary change in system readings or a consequence of the aircraft’s sudden movement.
The report also reportedly recorded left and right elevator flight-control faults, while the aircraft experienced multiple autopilot disconnects during the journey.
An engine anti-ice warning appeared later in the flight, followed by another autopilot disconnection. The available log does not establish that every warning had the same cause.
Importantly, the purported maintenance record does not prove that the hydraulic warnings caused the altitude drop. Investigators will need to compare the fault log with flight-data recorder information, cockpit voice recordings, maintenance records and crew accounts before determining what happened.
Air India Pilot News: Aircraft Dropped Around 300-360 Feet Over Odisha
The incident occurred while AI2379 was flying over the Odisha region after crossing the Bay of Bengal.
According to flight-tracking data cited in reports, the aircraft was at about 36,160 feet when the altitude anomaly appeared. It then descended to approximately 35,800 feet, indicating a change of roughly 360 feet.
The sudden movement injured passengers and crew members, although the aircraft continued its journey and eventually landed safely in Delhi. Reports have described the event as a serious incident under investigation.
Air India Flight News: Air India Initially Described It as Turbulence
Air India initially attributed the incident to a brief turbulence-related event.
However, the newly reported technical warnings have added another possibility that investigators must examine.
That does not mean the hydraulic or autopilot alerts caused the drop. Aircraft systems can generate warnings during unusual flight conditions, and investigators must establish the sequence before assigning a cause.
The distinction matters because the AAIB investigation remains ongoing, and the available maintenance information is not a final finding.
Air India Pilot News: Pilot Told Investigators He Slept During Flight
The investigation has also focused on the commander’s account of what happened inside the cockpit.
According to Hindustan Times, the pilot told investigators that he slept for around 30 to 35 minutes during the flight. He reportedly left the cockpit briefly to use the washroom and later returned to stand behind the first officer.
The first officer was reportedly operating the aircraft while the commander was acting as the pilot monitoring.
According to the reported account, the commander was discussing the air-conditioning system when the sudden altitude event occurred, and he was thrown onto the cockpit floor. A cabin crew member reportedly helped him get back up.
Air India Flight News: Confirmatory Drug Test Adds Another Layer
The commander’s post-flight drug screening has also become part of the investigation.
Reports say the initial screening was recorded as “non-negative”, meaning it required further testing. A subsequent confirmatory laboratory test reportedly detected cannabis.
However, a positive cannabis test alone does not establish that the pilot was impaired during the flight. Investigators will have to determine when the substance was consumed, whether it could have affected performance at the relevant time and whether any other factors contributed to the incident.
Reports have also raised questions about the commander’s sleep difficulties and medication, but these details remain part of the ongoing investigation rather than established causes.
Air India Pilot News: What Investigators Will Examine Next?
The AAIB and DGCA will likely need to piece together several streams of evidence to determine why AI2379 suddenly lost altitude.
These include:
- Flight-data recorder information
- Cockpit voice recorder data
- Aircraft fault and maintenance logs
- Hydraulic-system performance
- Autopilot and flight-control activity
- Crew actions during the event
- Pilot medical and drug-test records
- Weather and turbulence conditions along the route
The central question remains whether the technical warnings preceded and contributed to the altitude loss or appeared as a result of the aircraft’s sudden movement.
Air India Flight News: No Final Cause Has Been Established Yet
The reported maintenance log provides important clues, but it should not be treated as a final investigation report.
The aircraft landed safely, and investigators are now examining whether the incident resulted from turbulence, a temporary aircraft-system disturbance, crew-related factors, or a combination of circumstances.
Until the AAIB completes its investigation, there is no confirmed evidence that the hydraulic warnings, autopilot disconnects or the pilot’s reported condition individually caused the 300-foot altitude loss.
