Qantas Flight 72 was a scheduled passenger flight from Singapore to Perth when it encountered severe in-flight upset moments near Learmonth, Victoria. The Airbus A330 aircraft, with 315 people onboard, suddenly plunged and experienced rapid altitude changes, causing chaos as passengers and crew were forcibly thrown against their seats. This resulted in 112 injuries ranging from minor to severe, leading to significant panic and confusion, yet fortunately no fatalities. The incident occurred approximately 10 minutes before landing, sparking immediate investigation and concern regarding the functioning of the aircraft's flight control systems.

The investigation revealed that the cause of the abrupt altitude changes stemmed from a malfunction in the aircraft's air data inertial reference unit, which sends critical flight data to the flight control computer. Misinterpretation of this data led to the aircraft's Flight Control Protection System erroneously calculating an unsafe flight condition, thus causing the aircraft to roll and dive unexpectedly. This malfunction highlighted potential vulnerabilities in increasingly computerized flight systems and raised questions about the adequacy of pilot training for dealing with such malfunctions.

In the aftermath, Qantas took extensive measures to bolster training for their cockpit crews on how to handle unexpected incidents, particularly those triggered by system malfunctions. The incident instigated a broader examination of flight safety protocols involving flight control systems across various airlines, emphasizing the need for ongoing scrutiny of automated systems in aviation. Although the injuries were serious for many passengers, the fact that no loss of life occurred was seen as a testament to the safety culture in Qantas and the aviation industry’s response to potential crises.