A320neo Total Hydraulic Loss Investigated as Captain Fails Drug Test
Photo: Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia / CC BY-SA 2.0 — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · source
Indian aviation authorities are investigating an August flight where an Air India Airbus A320neo temporarily lost all three hydraulic systems at cruise altitude, resulting in an in-flight upset that injured twenty-four occupants. The temporary pressure loss caused the autopilot to disconnect and triggered a momentary stall warning before the systems spontaneously recovered seconds later. Investigators also discovered the pilot in command tested positive for psychoactive substances following the flight, highlighting how unpredictable mechanical failures require peak cognitive readiness from flight crews.
Read the full take
The sudden loss of all three hydraulic circuits on an Airbus A320neo is an extraordinarily rare technical anomaly that fundamentally alters the aircraft's control dynamics. During this high-altitude incident, the green circuit failed first, immediately followed by the blue and yellow networks. This rapid cascade effectively paralyzed the flight control surfaces, forcing an immediate autopilot disconnect and a brief stall warning as the jet deviated from its assigned altitude. Fortunately, pressure restored itself within seconds, allowing the crew to regain manual control and continue to their destination. What makes this event particularly significant for professional aviators is the convergence of a severe mechanical failure with potential human factors degradation. The aircraft was operating with an active Minimum Equipment List item for the Power Transfer Unit, a system designed to share mechanical power between the green and yellow hydraulic networks. While investigators have not yet linked this deferred maintenance item to the total pressure loss, the scenario underscores the elevated risk profile when dispatching with inoperative redundant systems. Furthermore, the revelation that the captain failed subsequent screenings for psychoactive substances adds a troubling dimension to the incident. Emergency management in a modern fly-by-wire aircraft demands absolute situational awareness and immediate, accurate decision-making. A transient loss of all flight controls is arguably one of the most startle-inducing emergencies a crew can face. The successful recovery was largely facilitated by the systems spontaneously coming back online, yet the subsequent decision to continue the ninety-minute flight to Delhi with multiple severely injured passengers rather than diverting remains a critical point of operational review. For airline professionals, this event serves as a stark reminder that mechanical redundancies can fail simultaneously, requiring uncompromised mental acuity from the flight deck.