New Delhi — Air India has terminated a pilot after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance following a serious in-flight incident involving a Phuket-to-Delhi flight, the airline said Friday.
“Safety remains Air India’s highest priority. The pilot-in-command of the Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for a psychoactive substance. In line with Air India’s zero-tolerance approach to violation of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment has been terminated with immediate effect,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The decision followed the release of a preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which flagged the positive test and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation take appropriate action.
According to the report, the pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI-2379 tested positive in both an initial screening and a subsequent confirmatory laboratory test.
Both pilots underwent medical screening in Delhi after the incident. Breathalyzer tests for both crew members were satisfactory, but the pilot-in-command returned a non-negative result for a psychoactive substance.
“The sample of PIC was found non-negative. Subsequently, blood samples of both the flight crew were sent to the pathological laboratory for confirmatory test. The confirmatory test report of PIC was found non-negative whereas the sample of the Co-Pilot was found negative in both the tests,” the AAIB said.
The agency said its investigation into the technical and other circumstances surrounding the incident remains underway.
The preliminary report said the Airbus A320, operating as flight AI-2379 on Aug. 4, lost all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet over Odisha.
The aircraft climbed 372 feet above its assigned altitude before descending 292 feet, resulting in what investigators described as an altitude upset during the cruise portion of the flight.
There were 145 people aboard, including 137 passengers, six cabin crew members and two pilots. At least 20 passengers and four crew members were injured.
Investigators said the flight crew reported no discrepancies during the walk-around inspection before departure. The pre-flight inspection in Phuket also found no abnormalities other than an existing item covered under the aircraft’s Minimum Equipment List. (Source: IANS)
