The French aviation accident investigation agency BEA and aircraft manufacturer Airbus will join the investigation conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) concerning the Air India flight incident between Phuket and Delhi. This was reported by sources familiar with the developments on Monday.
This development followed the incident that occurred on August 4th involving the Air India AI2379 aircraft, which is an Airbus A320. During the cruise flight, the aircraft suddenly lost approximately 300 feet of altitude.
Although the aircraft landed safely in Delhi, 13 passengers and four crew members were injured as a result of the incident. The AAIB has classified this event as a 'serious incident' and is conducting an investigation.
The involvement of BEA, the French aviation accident investigation agency, and Airbus will bring additional technical and investigative expertise to the inquiry, sources stated. The participation of the French BEA and Airbus is permitted by the rules of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for aviation accident investigations. According to ICAO Annex 13, the country where the aircraft was designed or manufactured may appoint representatives to participate in the investigation.
As the manufacturer of the A320 involved in the incident, Airbus can also provide technical assistance to investigators. The investigation is examining the circumstances of the sudden change in altitude of the aircraft, as well as the actions of the crew. The flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder were seized for examination as part of the investigation.
The significance of the investigation increased after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) removed both pilots from the standby list until the investigation is complete. The pilots underwent drug testing after arriving in Delhi. The Ministry of Civil Aviation reported on Sunday that the initial test of the flight commander was 'not negative,' and the sample has been sent for confirmatory analysis. The government stated that further actions will depend on the results of the investigation and the confirmatory test.
The incident occurred during the cruise flight after departing from Phuket. The sudden change in altitude caused passengers and crew to be thrown from their seats, resulting in injuries to several passengers. Previously, Air India described this event as a brief incident related to turbulence, which caused a momentary change in altitude.
