Italian probe: Air Arabia Maroc A320 descended to 41 ft off Catania after captain made nose‑down inputs

Italian investigators say an Air Arabia Maroc Airbus A320 descended to about 41 ft above the sea after departing Catania in September, when the captain made nose‑down pitch inputs during the initial climb. The aircraft departed runway 08 on a path toward the sea and is under investigation.

Discovered 2025-11-23T03:32:08.998103-08:00 | 2025-11-23T03:32:08.998103-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

The aircraft reached roughly 41 ft above the sea after takeoff and investigators cite the captain's nose‑down pitch inputs — a clear crew‑action finding that can trigger immediate reviews of training, SOPs and climb‑profile protections; this follows other regional A320‑family events such as the emergency descent involving an A321neo and the near‑miss approach at Nice.
Investigators explicitly attributing control inputs to the captain echoes earlier probes that scrutinized pilot actions, with direct regulatory, legal and insurance implications — see prior investigations focusing on crew actions.
Outcomes from the probe may prompt operational changes for carriers and OEMs (training, procedures, safety directives); operators and insurers should monitor for mandated corrective measures or airworthiness/operational advisories.

Reported By

Aviation Week Aviacionline haber.aero FlightGlobal