Air India fires Phuket-Delhi flight’s chief pilot after positive drug test

Air India has terminated the services of the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) of Phuket-Delhi flight AI2379 with immediate effect after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The action came hours after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the August 4 incident and described the confirmed test result as a “serious concern,” urging aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take action on priority.

“Safety remains Air India's highest priority. The Pilot-in-Command of the Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for a psychoactive substance,” an Air India spokesperson said.

The AAIB report also revealed that the Airbus A320, carrying 145 people, lost pressure in all three hydraulic systems within four seconds while flying at 36,000 feet. The failure caused the autopilot to disconnect, triggered a stall warning and resulted in a sudden and violent change in altitude.

The incident left 24 people — 20 passengers and four cabin crew members — injured, including four who suffered serious injuries. During the upset, the aircraft climbed 372 feet before dropping 292 feet from its assigned flight level, resulting in an overall altitude variation of 664 feet.

The report said both pilots underwent post-flight breathalyser tests after landing in Delhi, with satisfactory results. They were also tested for psychoactive substances.

The PIC’s initial sample was found to be “non-negative.” Blood samples from both pilots were then sent to a pathological laboratory for confirmation. The PIC’s confirmatory test was again non-negative, while the co-pilot tested negative in both tests.

However, the preliminary report does not establish a link between the pilot’s positive test and the mid-air incident, nor does it state that substance use contributed to the accident. The investigation into the probable cause is ongoing.

Investigators are focusing on why the aircraft’s three independent hydraulic systems — Green, Blue and Yellow — lost pressure almost simultaneously.

According to a report by The Tribune, the seat-belt signs were off when the aircraft experienced the sudden upset. The force inside the cabin cracked and deformed ceiling panels, dislodged overhead-bin doors, damaged handrails, bent a crew seat and uprooted a lavatory commode.