AAIB flags pilot drug use as serious concern after Air India Phuket flight incident
Probe agency AAIB on Friday said the confirmation of drug use by the pilot-in-command of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight is a "serious concern" and asked the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to take appropriate action.
Issuing the preliminary report on the incident of August 4, wherein the flight, operating with an A320 plane, suddenly lost 300 feet of altitude and left many people injured, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said a detailed probe is underway.
"In view of a non-negative result for psychoactive substances for one of the flight crew, it is recommended that DGCA may take appropriate actions as deemed fit to prevent abuse of psychoactive substances," AAIB said in its interim safety recommendation.
The flight AI 2379 from Phuket to Delhi was operated with an Airbus A320-251N aircraft bearing registration VTEXO. There were 145 people, including 2 pilots and 6 cabin crew, on board the plane.
According to the 10-page preliminary report, after the flight landed at the Delhi airport, 24 people were given medical assistance, and out of them, four had serious injuries.
AAIB said that in this case, it has been observed that the pilot-in-command was found non-negative for psychoactive substance in the confirmatory test.
"The confirmation of use of psychoactive substance is a serious concern, and AAIB recommends appropriate actions by DGCA on priority," it said.
AAIB said that initially, it was notified that the aircraft encountered turbulence en route to Delhi. Based on the evidence collected and the assessment of injuries sustained by the persons onboard, the occurrence was classified as an accident.
The probe agency is scrutinising data and records collected from various stakeholders.
"The investigation team interacted with the flight crew and cabin crew (including the cabin supervisor) at Delhi Airport. Subsequently, both flight crew members were interviewed by the investigation team," it said.
