An internal flight safety report of Air India has revealed that the pilot in command of the Air India flight that experienced a sudden loss of altitude was on medication to treat sleep difficulty, as reported by NDTV. The pilot had earlier failed two drug tests.
The development comes as the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) investigation into the 4th August incident is underway. Air India flight AI-2379, carrying 137 passengers along with 8 crew members, was flying from Phuket to Delhi when the plane suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude. At least 20 passengers and 4 crew members were injured during the incident. The flight later landed in Delhi safely.
“I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor,” the pilot said in a flight safety statement. “During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality,” he added.
The pilot further said that the roster duties schedule “compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery”. He was reportedly required to report for duty at 12:10 AM, for which preparations needed to begin before 10 PM. He could get a sound sleep before that.
He further said that, after landing, it took another 1.5 to 2 hours for him to finish post-flight duties and get to the hotel in Phuket. This further reduced his resting time. He was required to get up at 3 AM IST before the next flight.
Both pilots on the flight have been taken off the roster pending the inquiry into the incident, which has sparked safety concerns in Air India flights.
