The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD), mandating immediate software and hardware fixes for a Airbus A320-family aircraft. The move follows an in-flight incident where an A320 experienced an “uncommanded and limited pitch down,” which investigators have linked to data corruption caused by intense solar radiation.

“An Airbus A320 aeroplane recently experienced an uncommanded and limited pitch down event.” the EASA said. “The autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, with a brief and limited loss of altitude, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Preliminary technical assessment done by Airbus identified a malfunction of the affected ELAC as a possible contributing factor.”

On Friday, Airbus itself released a statement

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