What happened
On 20 September 2025, an Air Arabia Maroc Airbus A320-214, registration CN-NML, was performing a positioning flight from Catania Fontanarossa International Airport (LICC) to Amman, Jordan. Shortly after departing from runway 08 at 21:56 UTC, the aircraft began an unexpected descent. During the maneuver, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) triggered multiple alerts, including "Sink Rate," "Pull Up," and "Don't Sink." The aircraft's altitude dropped to a minimum radio altitude of 41 ft above the sea surface before the flight crew successfully recovered the trajectory. The flight subsequently continued to its destination without further incident.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) information, alongside aircraft software configurations. The analysis focused on the aircraft's flight modes and the input from the flight crew. Investigators noted that the takeoff speeds (V1, VR, and V2) calculated via the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) had not been entered into the Multipurference Control and Display Unit (MCDU).
Data from the FDR revealed that because the speeds were not inserted, the aircraft did not engage the Speed Reference System (SRS) mode. Instead, five seconds after lift-off, the vertical mode engaged as Vertical Speed (V/S). The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's software version, noting that CN-NML was not equipped with the FMS2 release 2 modification, which would have otherwise triggered a "TO speeds not inserted" caution message during engine start.
Findings
- The primary cause of the unexpected descent was that the takeoff speeds were not inserted into the MCDU, preventing the engagement of the SRS mode and causing the aircraft to default to V/S mode.
- The pilot in command initiated a pitch-down command via the sidestick at approximately 309 ft, leading to a rapid loss of altitude.
- The aircraft experienced a significant reduction in thrust from the TOGA position to a position between climb and idle during the descent.
- The aircraft's software lacked the specific modification that provides a cockpit warning when takeoff speeds are missing.