The investigation into the serious mid-air incident involving an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi has taken a major turn, with the Pilot-in-Command reportedly failing a second, confirmatory drug test. The development comes days after the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude during the flight, leaving several passengers and crew members injured and prompting a wider investigation by India’s aviation authorities.
The captain had initially returned a non-negative result during post-flight screening for psychoactive substances. Since preliminary screening tests can require further laboratory confirmation, the pilot’s sample was subsequently subjected to confirmatory analysis. That second test has now reportedly returned positive. The latest development significantly raises the regulatory and safety concerns surrounding the incident.
Confirmatory test raises fresh questions
The initial drug screening had prompted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take both pilots off the flying roster while the matter was investigated. At that stage, authorities had stressed that the preliminary result required confirmatory testing before any definitive conclusion could be drawn.
The second test is significant because it is intended to establish whether the initial screening result can be corroborated through further laboratory analysis. According to a report published on Tuesday, the confirmatory test of the Pilot-in-Command has now returned positive, with the substance identified as marijuana. However, the precise details of the test and the regulatory findings are yet to be fully disclosed by the authorities.
The development does not, by itself, establish that the pilot was intoxicated or impaired while operating the aircraft. A positive toxicology result can establish the presence of a substance or its metabolites, while determining whether a pilot was actually impaired at a particular point in time requires a broader assessment. Nevertheless, the result represents a serious regulatory issue because flight crew are subject to strict rules governing psychoactive substances and fitness to operate an aircraft.
The incident has therefore raised questions about whether the pilot complied with the applicable aviation safety requirements and whether any substance detected in the sample could have had a bearing on his fitness to fly.
Pilot faces removal from flying duties
Following the initial non-negative test, the DGCA had already taken both pilots off the roster pending the outcome of the investigation. The confirmatory positive result is expected to further strengthen the regulatory action against the Pilot-in-Command.
Under aviation safety protocols, pilots who test positive for prohibited psychoactive substances can face suspension of their flying privileges and further medical and regulatory evaluation. Depending on the circumstances and the applicable findings, rehabilitation or de-addiction measures can also form part of the process before a pilot is considered for a return to flying duties.
The captain is therefore unlikely to resume operational flying while the regulatory process is underway. The final consequences for his licence and employment will, however, depend on the findings of the DGCA investigation and the applicable rules.
Air India and aviation authorities under scrutiny
The development has considerably heightened scrutiny of Air India’s safety protocols. The incident is already being treated as a serious aviation occurrence, with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) tasked with examining what happened aboard the aircraft.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA have maintained that passenger safety remains their highest priority. The ministry has also indicated that there will be no compromise on safety standards as the investigation proceeds.
Air India, meanwhile, has been drawn into a high-level review of the incident. The airline’s CEO has been summoned for meetings with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA amid the continuing investigation. The airline had earlier said that it was aware that the post-flight screening had been conducted but that the test results had not initially been shared with it. (NDTV)
The scrutiny is particularly significant because the drug-test issue is only one component of a broader investigation into the flight.
Technical failure also being investigated
While the pilot’s confirmatory test has added a new dimension to the case, investigators are also examining whether technical problems contributed to the aircraft’s sudden loss of altitude.
Reports have pointed to possible multiple hydraulic-system failures on the Airbus aircraft, with the investigation looking into whether technical malfunctions played a role in the incident. This is important because the drug-test findings should not automatically be treated as an explanation for the aircraft’s behaviour. Investigators will have to establish the precise sequence of events using aircraft data, cockpit information, maintenance records and other evidence. (Outlook India)
French aviation investigators and Airbus representatives are also expected to assist with the probe. Their involvement could help investigators determine whether any aircraft-system malfunction, including possible hydraulic problems, contributed to the incident.
The AAIB’s investigation will therefore have to establish whether the event was primarily caused by technical failures, crew-related factors, environmental conditions, or a combination of circumstances.
Incident involved sudden altitude loss
The Air India flight, operating from Phuket to Delhi, encountered a severe mid-air event during its journey and reportedly lost around 300 feet of altitude. Several passengers and crew members were injured in the incident, triggering immediate regulatory scrutiny.
The aircraft subsequently landed safely in Delhi. The DGCA classified the occurrence as a serious incident and initiated regulatory action, while the AAIB was tasked with conducting the detailed investigation.
The investigation is now taking place on two parallel tracks: one examining the conduct and fitness of the flight crew, and the other examining the aircraft and operational circumstances surrounding the sudden altitude change.
What happens next?
The DGCA is expected to provide further clarity on the confirmatory test, including the substance detected and the regulatory action that will follow. Authorities will also have to determine whether the test result has any connection with the events that occurred during the flight.
At the same time, investigators will continue examining the aircraft’s technical systems, flight-data records and other evidence to determine what caused the sudden loss of altitude. Airbus and French aviation experts are expected to assist in this aspect of the investigation.
For now, the positive confirmatory test places the Pilot-in-Command under serious regulatory scrutiny. However, the final findings on the Phuket-Delhi incident will depend on the outcome of the complete investigation, including the technical evidence and the assessment of the pilot’s medical and regulatory status.
The case has consequently emerged as a significant aviation-safety test for both Air India and India’s aviation regulator, with the authorities under pressure to establish exactly what happened aboard the aircraft and ensure that appropriate accountability follows.
