Indian government mulls drug tests for all commercial pilots

The civil aviation ministry is looking at the possibility of carrying out psychoactive substance tests for all commercial pilots round the year on a random basis.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is holding discussions with stakeholders on further strengthening the drug-testing standards of pilots.

"Right now, the rules say 10 per cent (drug tests) across the overall pilot network, but just like I said, DGCA is engaging (with stakeholders)... One of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it (drug tests) the (whole) year at a random time.

"So, we have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this," the minister said.

The issue of possible substance use by pilots has come to the spotlight after an Air India captain of Phuket-Delhi flight involved in a sudden altitude loss incident was tested positive for marijuana.

Currently, drug tests for pilots are done on a random basis.

Naidu on Tuesday said that the regulator DGCA is currently consulting stakeholders to review existing rules and establish a stricter policy for the future.

"There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test (thing)," the minister said.

He was responding to queries related to psychoactive substance testing for pilots on the sidelines of an event in the national capital.

Meanwhile, Air India and Air India Express have also started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots.

The AI-2379, was on its way from Delhi to Phuket on August 4, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. The flight experiences a sudden loss of altitude of 300 feet, leaving 20 passengers and four crew members with injuries. Two members of the crew sustained spinal injuries, the Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan told the media.

Media reported that the Air India pilot had tested positive for psychoactive substances. This was revealed in a post flight screening at Delhi. A subsequent test that was carried out on Tuesday had also returned positive. The test reportedly confirmed that the pilot had smoked marijuana.

Reports say the pilot was not at his seat at the time of the incident and had left his co-pilot in command of the Airbus A320neo class airline.

It's still unclear if the drop in altitude was due to pilot action or technical failure. The flight suffered a negative gravity scenario and those who were not strapped in suffered injuries. Both pilots have now been off roasted and an inquiry is pending.

The statement from the Ministry of Civil Aviation said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun an investigation into the incident.

"AAIB is presently engaged in the systematic collection, preservation and examination of all relevant technical, operational, medical and human-factor evidence. This includes examination of the aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, relevant operational and maintenance records, medical information, and interviews with persons concerned. All material evidence will be examined in its entirety before any conclusions are drawn," the ministry said.

Earlier on Monday, AAIB,said the sole objective of the investigation is to determine the circumstances and contributing factors relating to the occurrence and to identify appropriate safety measures to prevent recurrence.

"The investigation is independent, evidence-based and comprehensive, and no inference regarding the cause of the occurrence should be drawn from any isolated piece of information while the investigation is in progress," it noted.

Further, AAIB appealed to all concerned, including the media and the public, to respect the investigation process and refrain from drawing conclusions on the basis of incomplete, unverified or selectively available information.

"The AAIB will conduct a thorough investigation covering all material facts and relevant evidence and will issue its preliminary findings within the stipulated timeframe in accordance with the applicable provisions and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) protocols. Further information will be placed in the public domain at the appropriate stage of the investigation," the probe agency said.

Two pilots of the Air India Group have failed the initial drug test as their results came "non-negative" and their samples have been sent for confirmatory tests, according to a source.

On August 13, Air India and Air India Express started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots, expanding checks beyond regulatory requirements.

These tests were made mandatory following the August 4 incident, when the captain of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight, that suddenly lost altitude, tested positive for marijuana.

The source on Monday, August 17 said psychoactive substance tests have been completed for around 400 pilots of the Air India Group so far.

Of them, the initial screening test results have come "non-negative" for two pilots, the source said.

Specific details could not be immediately ascertained.

There was no official comment from Air India.

The two Tata Group-owned airlines have more than 5,000 pilots.

The comprehensive screening covers substances and medications prohibited under prevailing aviation regulations.