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Air India terminates pilot after positive drug test following flight incident
Air India has terminated the employment of a pilot-in-command following a preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding flight AI-2379. The flight, traveling from Phuket to New Delhi on August 4, experienced a significant altitude upset while cruising at 36,000 feet. The aircraft, an Airbus A320, suffered a temporary failure of all three hydraulic systems—green, blue, and yellow—within seconds, causing the autopilot to disengage and triggering a stall warning.
During the incident, the aircraft climbed 372 feet before dropping approximately 292 feet. The sudden movement injured 24 people, including 20 passengers and four cabin crew members. The AAIB investigation confirmed that the pilot-in-command tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory laboratory test, a finding the bureau described as a “serious concern.” The co-pilot tested negative for such substances.
In response to the findings, Air India has implemented voluntary 100% drug testing for all its pilots to reinforce safety protocols. The AAIB has recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take priority action regarding the pilot. The investigation into the technical cause of the hydraulic failure remains ongoing.
Entities
AAIB · Air India · Airbus · Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau · DGCA · Delhi · Directorate General of Civil Aviation · New Delhi · Phuket
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 24 SOURCES] The Pilot-in-Command of Air India flight AI-2379 tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test. industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · www.news9live.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · +18 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The AAIB described the pilot's positive drug test as a serious safety concern. industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · www.news9live.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · +13 more
- [● 15 SOURCES] The AAIB recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take priority action regarding the pilot. industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · www.news9live.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · +10 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Air India has initiated voluntary 100% drug testing for all its pilots. desitalkchicago.com · www.euronews.com · www.siasat.com · dainiknavajyoti.com · bhaskarlive.in
- [● 11 SOURCES] The co-pilot tested negative for psychoactive substances. www.newsbytesapp.com · bhaskarlive.in · www.euronews.com · industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · +6 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] The aircraft experienced a failure in all three hydraulic systems (green, blue, and yellow) while cruising at 36,000 feet. industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · www.news9live.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · +16 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] The altitude upset resulted in injuries to 20 passengers and four cabin crew members. industrywired.com · news.abplive.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · desitalkchicago.com · +12 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The aircraft climbed 372 feet before dropping approximately 292 feet from its assigned altitude. news.abplive.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · odishabytes.com · www.aktual24.ro · www.euronews.com · +11 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Air India terminated the Pilot-in-Command following the positive drug test. dainiknavajyoti.com · www.khabarfast.com · bhaskarlive.in · www.haberankara.com