Computer warnings on Airbus and serious incident according to BEA French air safety investigation authority. 04/06/2025 - The Srilankan Airlines A320 was en route to Indonesia when the ECAM indicated the First Officer anti-ice systems having failed together with a Pitot Standby message.
ECAM is the electronic centralized aircraft monitoring system on Airbus aircraft
The aircraft dropped into Alternate Law with autopilot and autothrust off, NAV ADR disagree and unreliable airspeed. IN alternate law the aircraft loses some protection by the computers against abnormal flight including high angle of attack protection certain flight stall protection is lost.
Now receiving unreliable airspeed procedures the crew, declared PAN PAN followed by an overspeed and a stall warning. The crew performed the stall recovery procedure, declared Mayday and requested assistance to Medan (Indonesia), where the aircraft landed safely.
The aircraft had been dispatched under Minimum Equipment List requirements with the first officer's pitot heater inoperative. (When the Pitot Tube And Static Ports completely Ice over all of the pressure is trapped, and your airspeed indicator freezes. This would have created erroneous data for the ECAS)
Minimum Equipment List (MEL) is the list of equipment that may be inoperative, yet still allow an aircraft to operate safely, per FAA regulations.
In simple language:
Airbus A320 - MSN 4694 4R-ABM
Serial number 4694
Type 320-214
First flight date 21/04/2011
Test registration F-WWDK
Plane age 14.2 years
Seat configuration C16 Y120 Seat
Hex code 77044D
Engines 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Report by French Air Safety Authority: here
ECAM is the electronic centralized aircraft monitoring system on Airbus aircraft
The aircraft dropped into Alternate Law with autopilot and autothrust off, NAV ADR disagree and unreliable airspeed. IN alternate law the aircraft loses some protection by the computers against abnormal flight including high angle of attack protection certain flight stall protection is lost.
Now receiving unreliable airspeed procedures the crew, declared PAN PAN followed by an overspeed and a stall warning. The crew performed the stall recovery procedure, declared Mayday and requested assistance to Medan (Indonesia), where the aircraft landed safely.
The aircraft had been dispatched under Minimum Equipment List requirements with the first officer's pitot heater inoperative. (When the Pitot Tube And Static Ports completely Ice over all of the pressure is trapped, and your airspeed indicator freezes. This would have created erroneous data for the ECAS)
Minimum Equipment List (MEL) is the list of equipment that may be inoperative, yet still allow an aircraft to operate safely, per FAA regulations.
In simple language:
- The plane was cleared to take off with a faulty sensor (possibly without some other components - Minimum Equipment List). This is not recommended but can be acceptable
- The plane's warning system (called ECAM) showed that the co-pilot’s anti-ice system and airspeed sensors failed.
- As a result, the aircraft's computer system went into "Alternate Law" mode, meaning some safety features (like stall and over-speed protection) were lost.
- The pilots got confusing and unreliable airspeed readings.
- The plane indicated a warning stating that its crashing and going overspeed.
- The crew declared "PAN PAN" (urgent situation) and later "Mayday" (distress call), while flying near Medan, Indonesia.
- The plane successfully landed.
Airbus A320 - MSN 4694 4R-ABM
Serial number 4694
Type 320-214
First flight date 21/04/2011
Test registration F-WWDK
Plane age 14.2 years
Seat configuration C16 Y120 Seat
Hex code 77044D
Engines 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Report by French Air Safety Authority: here
