Air India sacks pilot after positive drug test
Pilot was operating flight during Phuket-Delhi altitude drop
Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance, the airline said today (4 September).
The pilot was operating an A320 carrying 145 people on 4 August when the aircraft suddenly lost nearly 300 feet in altitude, injuring 24 passengers, according to a preliminary report by the Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The airline announced the pilot's termination hours after the AAIB released its preliminary findings and urged the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to take appropriate action over the drug-use finding.
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"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," Air India said in a statement.
According to the AAIB's preliminary report, the aircraft experienced the near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet.
The incident triggered an autopilot disconnect, a brief stall warning and an altitude upset, resulting in injuries to 24 people, the report said.
