Sequence & Resolution
Event Date05/10/2026
Level
Incident
CategoryInstrument Failure
Flight PhaseClimb
Affected AltitudeFL080
Technical Issue Details
•Airbus A220-300 (HB-JCU) was performing flight LX1794 from Zurich (ZRH) to Malta (MLA) with 89 people on board.
•While climbing out from runway 32, the flight crew stopped the climb at FL080 due to conflicting speed and altitude readings from the air data system.
•The discrepancy was traced to a faulty sensor, matching an incident on another company aircraft the previous day.
Outcome / Handling
•The flight crew decided to abort the journey and return to Zurich.
•The aircraft completed a safe landing on runway 28 about 35 minutes after departure.
Current Status
•The airline stated that the occurrence of identical sensor faults on two different aircraft in consecutive days was a coincidence.
•Maintenance technicians replaced the malfunctioning air data sensor.
•The aircraft remained grounded for approximately 71 hours in Zurich before returning to service on May 13, 2026.
Sourcewww.aeroinside.com
Flight Information
Flight NumberLX1794
Flight Duration35 minutes
Departure Runway32 (ZRH)
Landing Runway28 (ZRH)