Air India flight AI2379 encountered turbulence on August 4 while travelling from Phuket to Delhi. However, this incident now raises another important question. Sources say pilots issued a PAN-PAN alert only during later stages near Delhi. The cockpit reportedly told ATC that merely four or five passengers had suffered injuries. However, the actual injured count exceeded that figure.
After receiving this alert, Delhi ATC notified ambulance services while giving AI2379 landing priority. Yet, altitude loss had occurred earlier. Therefore, investigators may examine why crews waited until reaching Delhi before making that PAN-PAN call. Another question asks why pilots did not consider an earlier landing at any nearby airport.
PAN-PAN carries internationally recognised meaning across aviation. Pilots use this call when an aircraft or onboard people need urgent assistance. However, such circumstances do not involve grave, imminent danger requiring MAYDAY. Therefore, AI2379’s alert does not indicate an aircraft facing immediate crash risk. Instead, pilots informed ATC about injured passengers while requesting landing assistance in Delhi.
ATC Timeline Could Become Crucial for Investigators
After receiving PAN-PAN transmission, ATC alerted ambulances and prioritised AI2379 for landing. The aircraft then touched down safely in Delhi. Investigators will closely examine its complete ATC communication timeline. They must study call timing alongside information provided by pilots. Investigators will also examine details concerning altitude loss. Moreover, they must assess cockpit knowledge about aircraft condition during that moment.
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau cautioned against blaming any single cause before completing its inquiry. Therefore, investigators have not determined whether turbulence caused altitude loss. They also have not established any role involving technical problems. Furthermore, investigators must determine whether both factors shared some connection.
Pilots use MAYDAY when an aircraft faces imminent danger. Such emergencies can include control loss, serious structural problems, or fire. In contrast, PAN-PAN signals an urgent situation requiring immediate assistance. However, this call does not indicate grave danger posing an instant threat to life. Therefore, its use alone cannot prove that AI2379 had lost control.
Recorders Could Reveal the Full Cockpit Sequence
Investigators now need answers to several questions. They must establish when altitude loss occurred. Teams also need to determine when passengers suffered injuries. Another issue concerns when cockpit crews assessed conditions. Investigators must identify exact timing for PAN-PAN communication. Finally, they need to determine what information ATC received during that exchange.
Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder, and ATC communication records may provide those answers. AAIB has taken both aircraft recorders for examination. Airbus is also assisting technical investigators. For now, authorities are not focusing only on who made a mistake. Instead, they must reconstruct cockpit events from altitude loss through PAN-PAN communication until Delhi landing. Only investigation records can establish that entire chain.
