The pilot of the Air India's Phuket-Delhi flight that suffered altitude loss had tested positive for psychoactive substance, a preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said on Friday. The AI 2379 flight, an Airbus A320 plane, had experienced a sudden altitude variation of around 300 feet and had lost controls for four seconds due to multiple hydraulic system failures last month.
The report, though preliminary and published as per the guidelines of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), suggested action against the pilot as recommended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to prevent abuse of psycho-active substance. It noted that the investigation is still underway and the final report will be published in due course.
"Detailed investigation regarding technical and other aspects are underway. In this case, it has been observed that the PIC was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test," the report said. "The confirmation of use of psycho-active substance is a serious concern and AAIB recommends appropriate actions by DGCA on priority."
The row over the AI Phuket-Delhi flight
The incident happened on August 4 when the flight, which was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, faced mid-air turbulence before losing 300 feet in altitude. It left 17 passengers, including four crew members, injured. One of the crew members also suffered a spinal and neck injury.
While the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) took cognisance of the incident, it was found that the pilot-in-command had tested positive for marijuana in a screening test. Later, the airline said it was not in a situation to comment on the development. However, Air India had clarified that it regularly undertakes regular drug testing of crew members in compliance with civil aviation regulations, while adding that it would continue coordinating with the authorities.
As the probe continued, a report also found that the flight had lost flight controls for four seconds due to multiple hydraulic system failures. It also said the system behaviour was due to the loss of hydraulic pressure as at least two pressure switches showed low hydraulic status that led to the loss of actuators.
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