Air India fires Phuket-Delhi pilot with positive drug test, calls it 'zero tolerance' violation

Air India has recalled the captain of a Phuket-to-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance, news agency PTI reported. “The senior pilot 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.

The action came shortly after the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) released its preliminary findings into the flight incident. The investigating body described the confirmed use of the substance by the pilot as a “serious concern” and called on the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take appropriate action on priority.

A preliminary AAIB report said both pilots underwent medical examinations after the plane arrived in Delhi. While their breathalyzer results were satisfactory, the pilot’s sample returned a negative result for psychoactive substance.

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The pilot was terminated after testing positive for a psychoactive substance in line with Air India’s zero tolerance policy for safety violations.

Following the positive test, the pilot’s employment was immediately terminated and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) advised the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take appropriate action.

The AAIB classified the incident as an accident with details of a sudden drop in altitude resulting in injuries to several passengers and crew.

The AAIB said the confirmation of the use of psychoactive substances raises significant safety concerns, requiring urgent action by regulators to prevent substance abuse among aircrew.

According to DGCA rules, a pilot who tests positive must undergo rehabilitation or de-addiction and can return to flying only after completing the necessary process. A second violation may result in license suspension.

A subsequent confirmatory blood test also yielded a non-negative result. Meanwhile, the second pilot had a negative test.

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Although the AAIB described the finding of the substance as of “serious concern”, its preliminary investigation did not conclude that the pilot’s drug use had caused the aircraft’s altitude to be disturbed.

A wider investigation into the incident, including its technical and operational aspects, is ongoing.

Here is what happened

On 4 August, an Air India flight bound for Delhi from Phuket encountered “clear air turbulence”, resulting in a change in altitude. While the plane landed safely at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, reports indicated that at least 14 people, including crew members and passengers, sustained injuries.

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Following the incident, Air India released a statement saying, “Air India confirms that flight AI2379, operating on August 4 from Phuket to Delhi, experienced a brief in-flight turbulence-related event during the cruise which resulted in an immediate change in altitude.” The company added, “No serious injuries have been reported so far. A small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries requiring medical assessment have been taken to the airport medical facility for precautionary examination and treatment by Air India airport team and medical staff.”

What did the report reveal?

The agency said it has asked the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to take appropriate action, news agency PTI reported. After releasing a preliminary report into the August 4 incident in which an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi, operated by an A320 aircraft, suddenly dropped 300 feet, injuring several passengers, the AAIB said a detailed investigation is currently underway.

In its interim safety advisory, the investigating agency said: “In view of the non-negative result for psychoactive substances for one of the flight crew, it is recommended that the DGCA may take appropriate action as it deems fit to prevent misuse of psychoactive substances.”

According to a 10-page initial report, at least 24 people received medical attention after the flight landed at Delhi airport, and at least four of them suffered serious injuries.

The AAIB said the pilot-in-command tested negative for psychoactive substances in a confirmatory test. He added: “Confirmation of the use of psychoactive substances is a serious concern and the AAIB recommends appropriate action by the DGCA as a matter of priority.”