EASA issues emergency directive after Airbus flags A320 flight-control fault

European regulators have ordered airlines to take immediate action on Airbus A320 Family aircraft after an investigation linked a recent uncommanded pitch-down event to a potential fault in a key flight-control computer.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) on November 28, 2025, requiring operators to replace or modify a specific Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC B L104) before the aircraft’s next flight. The directive follows an Alert Operators Transmission issued by Airbus the same day.

JetBlue incident reportedly triggered the investigation

The directive reportedly stems from an incident on October 30, 2025, involving a JetBlue A320-200, registration N605JB, operating flight B6-1230 from Cancun (CUN) to Newark (EWR). While cruising at FL350 about 70 nautical miles southwest of Tampa (TPA), the aircraft experienced an inflight upset described by the crew as a flight-control problem. The aircraft descended rapidly, levelled briefly around 20,000 feet, and then continued descending for a precautionary landing in Tampa.

According to initial reports, at least three people on board sustained injuries, including head injuries, during the upset. Passengers requiring treatment were taken to local hospitals, while others were assessed at the airport. JetBlue dispatched a replacement aircraft, which later diverted to La Guardia before continuing to Newark, arriving with significant delay.

Airbus’s preliminary assessment identified a malfunction of the ELAC installed on the aircraft as a possible contributing factor. Regulators warn that such a malfunction, if uncorrected, could in extreme cases trigger uncommanded elevator movement severe enough to risk exceeding the aircraft’s structural limits.

Mandatory replacement before next flight

EASA has designated all A319, A320 and A321 variants equipped with the affected ELAC as “Group 1” aircraft. For these, airlines must remove and replace the computer with a serviceable version—ELAC B L103 or higher—before the aircraft can return to passenger service. The directive allows a short ferry flight of up to three cycles, without passengers, solely to reposition the aircraft for maintenance.

Aircraft that do not feature the affected hardware are prohibited from being modified back into a configuration that would reintroduce the older ELAC standard.

Airbus links vulnerability to solar-radiation data corruption

Airbus said its analysis indicated that intense solar radiation may, under specific conditions, corrupt flight-control data processed by the affected ELAC standard. The company has identified a significant number of in-service A320 Family aircraft as potentially susceptible and requested immediate precautionary action from operators.

Airbus acknowledged that the required work will cause operational disruption but said safety remains its overriding priority.

Short-term disruptions expected across global fleets

While the number of affected aircraft has not been publicly disclosed, the broad applicability of the directive means airlines are expected to face near-term scheduling challenges as ELAC replacements are carried out. The A320 Family remains the most widely used single-aisle fleet globally, and the “before next flight” requirement is likely to create pressure on maintenance capacity in the coming days.

Airbus said it is working closely with operators and regulators to ensure the fleet remains safe to fly.The post EASA issues emergency directive after Airbus flags A320 flight-control fault appeared first on AeroTime.

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