The pilot-in-command of flight A12379 from Phuket to Delhi, which dropped 300 feet over Odisha on August 4, injuring several passengers, has been sacked by Air India after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.
“The Pilot-in-Command of the Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for a psychoactive substance.
In a statement, the Tata-owned carrier said it has a zero-tolerance approach to safety violations and regulatory requirements. In line with Air India’s zero-tolerance approach to violations of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment has been terminated with immediate effect,” it said in the statement on X.
This resulted in what it described as an autopilot disconnect, which triggered a brief stall warning. The initial probe report noted that the pilot tested positive for the psychoactive substance. However, it didn’t say the pilot-in-command’s drug abuse contributed to the hydraulic failure or the altitude loss.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, in its preliminary probe report, noted that the Air India Airbus A320 carrying 145 people suffered near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at 36,000 feet. Soon, the plane lost altitude, leaving 24 passengers injured.
