Air India sacks Phuket-Delhi pilot who tested positive for psychoactive substance

The Tata Group-owned airline said it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards violations involving flight safety, fitness and regulatory requirements.

"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 violations of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements, the pilot's employment has been terminated with immediate effect," the airline said in a statement on X.

What happened on Flight AI2379?

Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 carrying 145 people, was cruising at 36,000 feet on August 4 when it experienced a near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems, according to the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The hydraulic failure led to the autopilot disconnecting and triggered a brief stall warning. The aircraft subsequently experienced an altitude upset, briefly climbing and then losing altitude.

According to the AAIB report, the aircraft initially gained 372 feet before descending 292 feet from its assigned flight level of 36,000 feet.

The incident resulted in injuries to 24 passengers.

Pilot tested positive, co-pilot negative

The report said both the pilot-in-command and the co-pilot underwent drug-detection tests after the aircraft landed safely in Delhi.

While the co-pilot tested negative, the pilot-in-command was found positive for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test.

The AAIB described the finding as a "serious concern" and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot on priority.

However, the preliminary report did not establish that the pilot's use of the substance caused or contributed to the hydraulic-system failure or the aircraft's subsequent loss of altitude.

Co-pilot was flying during the incident

At the time of the incident, the co-pilot was operating the aircraft and attempted to stabilise the situation.

The pilot-in-command subsequently took over the controls as the aircraft encountered the altitude upset.

The report said the flight controls recovered shortly afterwards and the aircraft returned to normal operation.

The crew initially told authorities that the aircraft had encountered turbulence after landing in Delhi. Following the arrival of an AAIB team to assess the aircraft and collect evidence, the incident was classified as an accident.

No issue found during pre-flight inspection

The AAIB preliminary report also noted that maintenance personnel had conducted a pre-flight inspection before the journey and had recorded no discrepancies.

The investigation into the technical failure and other aspects of the incident is still underway.

Air India reinforces safety measures

Air India said it has acknowledged the AAIB's preliminary findings and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation by providing relevant operational, maintenance and technical records.

The airline reiterated that safety remains its highest priority and said its pilots undergo regular training, proficiency checks, medical examinations and other mandatory regulatory assessments.

Following the incident, Air India also introduced voluntary testing of all its pilots as an additional safety measure.

The airline said it would take appropriate action wherever warranted by the findings of the investigation.