Hydraulic Alerts, Low-Pressure Warnings, Autopilot Disconnection: Inside Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight’s 300-Feet Drop

Air India Flight Incident: Phuket-Delhi Flight’s 300-Feet Drop, Hydraulic Warnings, Autopilot Disconnection and Aircraft Investigation by DGCA & AAIB

An Air India flight incident involving flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi has drawn attention after the aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude while flying over Odisha on August 4, 2026. The Airbus A320, registered VT-EXO, subsequently stabilised and landed safely in Delhi.

The incident became more significant after a post-flight maintenance report reportedly revealed a series of technical alerts involving the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, flight controls and autopilot. The findings have added a new technical dimension to the ongoing investigation.

Several passengers and crew members were injured during the sudden altitude loss. However, the aircraft remained controllable and completed its journey to Delhi safely.

Hydraulic Alerts Raise Fresh Questions

One of the most important details emerging from the maintenance data is the presence of multiple hydraulic warnings.

According to reports citing the aircraft’s Centralised Fault Display System records, the aircraft generated warnings associated with low pressure in its Green, Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems. There were also indications of low reservoir levels in the Yellow and Blue systems.

Hydraulic systems are essential to modern aircraft because pressurised hydraulic fluid helps operate several important flight-control and mechanical components. Therefore, hydraulic pressure warnings are significant and must be examined carefully by investigators.

However, a warning does not automatically establish that hydraulic problems caused the 300-foot altitude loss. Investigators need to establish the sequence of events and determine whether the alerts were a cause, consequence or contributing factor.

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Low-Pressure Warnings Appeared Within a Short Period

The reported maintenance data indicates that several hydraulic alerts appeared within a short period. India Today reported that three hydraulic low-pressure warnings were recorded around the incident, while other reports described a broader sequence of warnings involving different aircraft systems.

This sequence is particularly important because investigators can compare the warning timestamps with flight-data-recorder information, aircraft movements and pilot actions.

Such comparisons can help answer key questions: Did hydraulic pressure change before the aircraft descended? Did a flight-control problem appear at the same time? Did turbulence trigger or coincide with the warnings? And how did the aircraft respond immediately afterward?

Autopilot Disconnection Adds Another Layer

Another major detail was an autopilot disconnection warning.

Reports indicate that the aircraft experienced an autopilot disconnect alongside hydraulic and flight-control warnings. An autopilot disconnect means the automated flight-control system has stopped controlling the aircraft, requiring the pilots to manage the aircraft manually or follow the aircraft’s applicable procedures.

The timing of this event is crucial. Investigators will need to determine exactly when the autopilot disconnected in relation to the altitude loss and other system warnings.

It is important not to assume that an autopilot disconnection itself caused the incident. Autopilot systems can disconnect automatically when certain aircraft conditions or system faults are detected. The investigation must establish why the disconnection occurred and what happened immediately afterward.

What the Aircraft Investigation Will Examine

The aircraft investigation is being conducted to establish the chain of events surrounding the altitude loss. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) investigates qualifying accidents and serious incidents under India’s aviation investigation framework, while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has regulatory and safety responsibilities.

Investigators are expected to examine flight-recorder information, maintenance records, cockpit actions, aircraft-system data and other evidence. Airbus has also said it will assist the investigation, while France’s BEA is involved in the technical inquiry.

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The purpose of an AAIB investigation is not simply to assign blame. Its stated objective is to identify safety issues and help prevent similar incidents in the future.

DGCA and AAIB Probe: What Happens Next?

The DGCA and AAIB will need to establish whether the hydraulic alerts, autopilot disconnection, flight-control warnings and altitude loss were connected.

The investigation may also consider operational and human factors alongside technical evidence. Recent reports have separately raised questions about the flight crew, but those matters should not be treated as the established cause of the altitude drop until investigators complete their assessment.

For now, the hydraulic warnings and autopilot disconnection are important pieces of evidence rather than a final explanation.

Conclusion

The Air India Phuket-Delhi incident has become a significant aviation safety investigation because multiple aircraft-system warnings were reportedly recorded around the time of the sudden 300-foot altitude loss.

The combination of hydraulic warnings, low-pressure alerts, an autopilot disconnection and a flight-control warning provides investigators with several technical leads to examine. The final findings from the AAIB and DGCA will be important in determining what actually happened and whether any corrective safety measures are required.

Until the official investigation is completed, it is safest to distinguish between reported system data and confirmed conclusions. The coming analysis of the aircraft’s recorders, maintenance history and technical systems should provide a clearer picture of the Air India flight incident.

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