AAIB flags Air India pilot’s positive psychoactive substance test after Phuket flight altitude scare

A preliminary investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed that the captain of Air India flight AI2379 tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory drug test following a dramatic altitude drop on August 4. The Airbus A320, en route from Phuket to Delhi, lost pressure in all three of its hydraulic systems during the incident, affecting the aircraft's flight controls.

The co-pilot tested negative in both initial and confirmatory drug tests. While the AAIB has not established a direct link between the captain's substance use and the technical failure or the sudden change in altitude, the finding is a serious concern for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The aircraft, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, experienced a loss of pressure in its hydraulic systems, causing the autopilot to disengage and a warning to sound in the cockpit.

The aircraft first climbed 372 feet above its assigned altitude before falling 292 feet below it. All injured passengers and crew members were safely evacuated, and the aircraft landed in Delhi. Following the incident, Air India Group ordered drug tests for all its pilots.