World · India Bureau
Air India flight loses all hydraulic systems mid-flight over Thailand
An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi experienced simultaneous failure across all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet, prompting autopilot disengagement and an altitude upset. The Airports Authority of India's investigation found no adverse weather conditions contributed to the incident.
LSN India ·
The Air India aircraft encountered the triple hydraulic system failure during its descent, forcing pilots to disengage autopilot systems and manage the aircraft manually. The loss of pressure across all three independent hydraulic systems—designed with redundancy to prevent total loss of control—triggered multiple cockpit warnings and caused the plane to deviate from its assigned altitude.
According to the AAIB's preliminary findings, the incident occurred in clear atmospheric conditions with no severe weather activity recorded in the area at the time. The investigators ruled out meteorological factors as a contributing cause, suggesting the failures were technical in nature.
The flight crew successfully managed the emergency situation and brought the aircraft to a safe landing. The incident highlights the critical importance of aircraft hydraulic redundancy systems, which allow pilots to maintain basic control even when multiple systems fail simultaneously.
The AAIB investigation is continuing to determine the root cause of the hydraulic pressure loss across all three independent systems. Air India has not yet released an official statement regarding maintenance records or any identified technical issues that may have preceded the incident.