Air India Pilot Tests Positive After Mid-Air Incident
An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi suffered a serious mid-air incident after losing pressure in all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet, according to a preliminary investigation. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has also found that the pilot-in-command tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance after the flight.
Air India A320 Loses Three Hydraulic Systems
The August 4 incident involved Air India flight AI2379, operated using an Airbus A320 with 145 people on board.
During the flight over Odisha, pressure was lost in the aircraft’s green, blue and yellow hydraulic systems within seconds. The failure caused the autopilot to disconnect and triggered a stall warning as the aircraft experienced a significant altitude upset.
The hydraulic systems were subsequently recovered and the aircraft was able to continue to Delhi, where it landed safely.
At least 20 passengers and four cabin crew members suffered injuries during the incident, with four people sustaining serious injuries.
Pilot Tests Non-Negative for Psychoactive Substance
After landing in Delhi, both pilots underwent mandatory breathalyser examinations, which returned satisfactory results.
They were also tested for psychoactive substances. The pilot-in-command returned a non-negative result during the initial screening and again during a confirmatory blood test. The co-pilot tested negative.
The preliminary report does not establish that substance use caused or contributed to the hydraulic failure or altitude upset.
AAIB Asks DGCA to Take Priority Action
The AAIB described the confirmed use of a psychoactive substance by flight crew as a serious aviation safety concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation take appropriate action on priority.
Investigators are continuing to examine the aircraft’s hydraulic failures, cockpit events and other technical factors before determining the final cause of the accident.
