Airbus A320 ELAC software glitch prompts global aircraft recall
Airbus issued a global recall of A320 aircraft following a software glitch in the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC) that caused a mid-air pitch anomaly. The system's corrupted control data can cause uncommanded aircraft movements, autopilot disconnection, and loss of flight-control protections, requiring repairs before commercial flights resume.
What happened
A software glitch affecting the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC), which controls the aircraft's pitch, prompted Airbus to issue a global recall of A320 jets.
The recall mandates repairs before commercial flights, except for repositioning flights to repair facilities. The software supporting the affected ELAC system traces to non-Thales software, according to Airbus.
An actual mid-air pitch anomaly caused by corrupted control-surface data triggered the recall, with corrupted data potentially caused by solar radiation or hardware faults.
Reported impact
The glitch can cause uncommanded pitch or roll movements, sudden autopilot disconnection during cruise, degradation of flight-control protections, incorrect trim commands leading to nose-down behavior, and incorrect data displayed to pilots.
Aircraft can drop from Normal Law into Alternate Law or Direct Law, losing protections like stall protection, overspeed protection, and pitch stability. Incorrect sensor data can cause the fly-by-wire system to modify or reject pilot inputs unexpectedly.
Index analysis
The ELAC system's dependence on flawless data from sensors (ADIRUs) and its role in processing critical flight parameters means corrupted values in altitude, attitude, or acceleration readings can instantly disconnect the autopilot or cause uncommanded control surface movements.
The glitch illustrates risks in complex aviation systems where software from multiple sources integrates into safety-critical functions, and where data corruption from environmental factors or hardware faults can cascade through interconnected systems.
Governance controls
Airbus issued a bulletin requiring airlines to conduct repairs on affected aircraft before resuming commercial operations, with immediate action mandated for safety compliance.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.