Air India's outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson was summoned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday in connection with the Phuket-Delhi flight incident, sources said. Wilson, along with senior airline executives, met Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and other officials.
Executive Advisor to Tata Sons Chairman and former Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola as well as Air India's Head of Flight Safety Deepak Joshi also attended the meeting, the sources said.
"We were just giving an update on the status of the investigation. It is up to him (MoCA Minister) to give an update," said Wilson after the meeting.
The incident is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) as per Annexure 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Air India's A320 plane suffered glitches
The Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi encountered a turbulence-related incident that caused the aircraft to drop as much as 300 feet in altitude, leaving many passengers and crew members with minor injuries on August 4. In a statement, the airline said flight AI2379, operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, experienced a short turbulence event while cruising, resulting in a momentary loss of altitude.
According to sources, the aircraft experienced several technical issues during the flight, including the autopilot disconnecting. After the co-pilot manually regained control, the aircraft reportedly generated a flight-control stall warning.
Various indicator switches went off briefly, and there were multiple technical and mechanical glitches, the sources said and added that the plane also experienced mid-air turbulence, PTI reported.
The aircraft’s hydraulic systems are critical to several flight-control and operational functions. Hydraulic systems use pressurised fluid to power machinery and move mechanical components, and are widely used across modern aircraft. After managing to sort out the issues, the aircraft flew to Delhi.
Pilot failed dope test?
Meanwhile, the pilot-in-command had undergone confirmatory testing after an initial psychoactive substance screening produced a result requiring further analysis, according to the ministry. The results of the confirmatory test are awaited.
Amid reports that the pilot of the turbulence-hit Phuket-Delhi flight has failed a dope test, the airline on said on Sunday that it regularly conducts drug testing of its crew members according to the guidelines laid down by the DGCA. "We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols," an Air India spokesperson said. "However, the results of the test have not been shared with Air India, and we are therefore not in a position to comment on any findings."
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