New Delhi, Sept. 4 -- Air India on Friday terminated with immediate effect the services of the pilot-in-command of its Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance following an August 4 incident that injured 24 people.
The airline acted hours after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report, which called the confirmed substance use a "serious concern" and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take action to prevent psychoactive substance abuse.
Flight AI 2379, an Airbus A320-251N carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, six cabin crew and two pilots, was cruising at 36,000 feet when all three hydraulic systems lost pressure within seconds. The autopilot disconnected, a brief stall warning followed, and the aircraft gained about 372 feet before losing nearly 292 feet.
The hydraulic systems recovered within seconds and the aircraft continued to Delhi, landing safely at 11 am. Medical teams treated 20 passengers and four crew members. Twenty were discharged after minor injuries, while four were hospitalised with serious injuries. The cabin sustained damage, including cracked ceiling panels, broken handrails and dislodged overhead bins.
AAIB said the co-pilot tested negative for psychoactive substances, while the pilot-in-command's confirmatory test was also non-negative. The report did not establish any link between the drug result and the hydraulic failure or altitude upset.
Investigators are examining technical and operational factors, including the aircraft's maintenance history and a Power Transfer Unit-related MEL item invoked on July 28. Flight recorders and hydraulic components have been recovered for further analysis.
Air India said it has begun voluntary drug testing of all its pilots and continues to cooperate with investigators.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.