Air India Phuket-Delhi incident: AAIB recommends DGCA action after pilot's positive substance test

New Delhi, Sep 4
The pilot-in-command of Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test following an altitude upset during cruise and it is a serious concern, according to a preliminary report released on Friday by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

In addition, the probe agency recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action on priority following the confirmatory test result.

Detailed investigations regarding technical and other aspects are underway, it added.

The report said both flight crew members underwent post-flight medical screening in Delhi and their breathalyser results were satisfactory.

A psychoactive substance detection test found the pilot-in-command's sample non-negative, while the co-pilot's sample was negative.

“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 report said.

Meanwhile, Air India said it was cooperating with the investigation and had begun voluntary testing of all its pilots following the incident.

"Safety remains Air India's highest priority," the airline said in a statement, adding that it maintains zero tolerance for breaches of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements.

However, no discrepancies were recorded during the aircraft's pre-flight inspection at Phuket, except for an already invoked Minimum Equipment List item, according to the probe agency report.

In addition, there were 145 people on board, including 137 passengers, six cabin crew and two pilots.

The report also showed that at least 20 passengers and four crew members suffered injuries, highlighting that the aircraft sustained damage mainly to overhead storage bins and ceiling panels.

It also said that the flight crew also reported no discrepancies during their walk-around inspection.

The Airbus A320 -- operating as flight AI-2379 -- lost all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet over Odisha on August 4.

The aircraft initially gained 372 feet and then fell 292 feet from its assigned altitude, it added.