The government has taken a serious view of the Air India pilot who tested positive for marijuana following the August 4 Phuket-Delhi flight, warning the airline to strengthen its operational oversight
and “take responsibility” for safety, The Times of India reported.
The 145-passenger flight, AI 2379, had a turbulent journey after the aircraft encountered multiple warnings while flying over Odisha.
The alerts reportedly involved all three hydraulic systems, doors and the elevator, while the autopilot also disengaged. The aircraft subsequently lost 300 feet of altitude during the flight, leaving 20 passengers and four cabin crew members injured.
The incident comes before the final report into Air India’s Ahmedabad crash in June, which killed 260 people, has yet to be released.
“The final report of AI’s last June Ahmedabad crash in which 260 people lost their lives is not yet out, and then something like this happens with Air India. Govt has taken a very serious view of what happened on AI 2379, and heads will roll. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha has told the AI brass in clear terms that the airline needs to take responsibility and that people found guilty by the probe will not be spared,” said an official, while speaking to The Times Of India.
Also Read: Seat Swap, Phuket Party, Then 300-Ft Altitude Drop: Air India Pilot’s Last 24 Hours
Pilot’s Positive Dope Test Under Scanner
The developments have come to light days after sources confirmed that the pilot-in-command (PIC) of the Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test.
The pilot-in-command of the Phuket-Delhi flight reportedly told investigators that he had been prescribed sleeping pills because of personal problems and claimed that the medication resulted in his positive drug test.
His conduct during the flight is also being examined after members of the cabin crew reportedly raised complaints about his behaviour.
According to TOI, the PIC appeared to be under the influence of psychoactive substances during the flight. A person familiar with the matter alleged that the pilot was repeatedly sitting on the cockpit floor and attempting to smoke before cabin crew intervened.
Tougher Penalties For Testing Positive In Drug Test
The government has meanwhile asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to make immediate changes to its drug-testing framework.
The regulator has been told to raise the proportion of aviation personnel subjected to mandatory testing and strengthen enforcement against those found using prohibited drugs.
Also Read: Air India Pilot Couldn’t Stand Straight, Needed Help In Giving Sample For Dope Test
At the same time, officials want the rules to distinguish between positive tests linked to prescribed medicines and cases involving “real” drugs or recreational consumption.
Those whose results are attributable to medication could be given additional opportunities, while tougher penalties would be imposed against personnel testing positive for “real” drugs.
Questions Over Multiple Warnings On Air India Flight
The seriousness of the incident has also prompted a technical examination of the aircraft.
An Airbus team is in India to investigate the reported technical problems alongside officials from the French aviation regulator. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is examining whether the warnings were genuine or spurious and what may have triggered them.
Pilots have also sought a detailed explanation from Airbus about the sequence of warnings.
Several pilots have questioned whether all the warnings could have been genuine, arguing that an aircraft experiencing simultaneous failures of such magnitude would unlikely have been able to continue flying for nearly two hours and land safely at its destination.
They believe the crew could otherwise have been expected to divert to the nearest airport if the warnings represented actual and continuing failures.
DGCA Dope-Test Rules Face Scrutiny
Senior pilots have also raised concerns over the DGCA’s existing civil aviation requirement titled “procedure for examination of the aviation personnel for consumption of psychoactive substances”.
They argue that the current framework does not adequately distinguish between a crew member who tests positive because of prescribed medication and one who consumes “real” drugs or uses them recreationally.
The government’s proposed changes are therefore expected to focus both on expanding the scope of mandatory testing and creating a clearer distinction between drug abuse and positive results caused by legitimate medication.
