After testing positive for a psychoactive substance on Friday, the captain of the Air India jet that crashed last month, injuring passengers and temporarily losing hydraulic systems, was fired. The Phuket-Delhi flight’s pilot-in-command tested positive for a psychotropic drug. The pilot’s employment has been terminated with immediate effect in accordance with Air India’s zero-tolerance policy for violations of safety, fitness, or regulatory criteria,” the statement continued.
On August 4, while travelling from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi, the Airbus A320 carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members abruptly lost altitude, hurting 24 individuals, including four critically. Later, the plane steadied and landed safely. It was categorized as a “serious incident” by India’s civil aviation authorities.
Airbus and the BEA, France’s civil aviation safety agency, said they are supporting the Indian flight inquiry. A preliminary study published Friday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that the flight-control system identified the loss of three hydraulic systems for a few seconds.
It stated, “The aircraft experienced altitude upset.” It first increased by 372 feet (113 meters) and decreased by 292 feet (89 meters),” it continued. Before the systems recovered and the aircraft resumed normal operation, the hydraulic failure led the autopilot to disengage and set off a two-second stall warning. The aircraft operation then resumed as usual, according to the report. However, whether the pilot in command had tested positive for drugs was also covered in the report.
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