The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an investigation into an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi after the aircraft experienced a sudden altitude variation of around 300 feet during cruise on August 4.
The incident involved an Air India Airbus A320, registration VT-EXO, operating scheduled flight AI 2379 from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft subsequently stabilised and landed safely in Delhi.
According to the authorities, 20 passengers and four cabin crew members sustained injuries during the incident. The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members comprising two pilots and six cabin crew.
The AAIB took up the investigation after receiving information from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in accordance with applicable provisions and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols. The requisite notifications have also been made to ICAO and the concerned states.
As part of the international aviation investigation framework, France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA), as the investigation authority of the State of Design, along with technical representatives of Airbus, is providing technical assistance to the AAIB.
The assistance includes the provision of relevant technical information and design documentation in accordance with the applicable ICAO framework.
The AAIB is currently examining a wide range of evidence, including the aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, operational and maintenance records, medical information and human-factor aspects. Investigators are also interviewing people connected with the occurrence.
The bureau said all available evidence would be examined comprehensively before any conclusions are reached and cautioned against drawing inferences about the cause of the incident from isolated information while the investigation remains underway.
The investigation is aimed at determining the circumstances and contributing factors behind the occurrence and identifying appropriate safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The AAIB also emphasised that certain records, statements, medical information and other material gathered during the investigation are protected and confidential under the applicable investigation framework. It urged the media and the public to respect the investigation process and refrain from drawing conclusions based on incomplete or unverified information.
The bureau said it would conduct a comprehensive investigation covering all relevant facts and evidence and issue its preliminary findings within the stipulated timeframe under applicable provisions and ICAO protocols.
Further information will be made public at the appropriate stage, the AAIB said, reiterating its commitment to an independent, transparent and professional investigation with aviation safety as its primary objective.
