File photograph for representational functions solely.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Air India on Friday (September 4, 2026) sacked the pilot-in-command (PIC) of a Delhi-Phuket flight for testing optimistic for psychoactive substance. The flight momentarily misplaced altitude on August 4, injuring 24 passengers.
The choice comes within the wake of the Plane Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report recommending that the Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take motion towards the pilot on precedence.
“It has been noticed that the PIC was discovered non-negative for psychoactive substance within the confirmatory take a look at. The affirmation of use of psychoactive substance is a severe concern and AAIB recommends acceptable actions by DGCA on precedence,” the interim report learn.
The ultimate report may take as much as a 12 months or extra.
Technical failure
The report said that in the course of the transient lack of altitude, all three hydraulic programs failed, the autopilot disengaged and the stall warning got here on for 2 seconds. A stall warning is triggered when the plane can’t generate sufficient raise or pressure to remain airborne.
“Initially, it gained 372 ft and fell by 292 ft from its assigned FL (flight degree) 360 in the course of the occasion,” the report stated.
The report additional said {that a} detailed investigation into the technical features was below means.
The co-pilot, who was manning the controls on the time, responded rapidly. Because the hydraulic programs recovered, flight operations returned to regular.
Because the plane was at cruising altitude, the seatbelt indicators had been off, which resulted in passengers and crew members sustaining accidents, the report famous.
The plane was broken at a number of factors contained in the cabin, together with cracked or dislodged ceiling panels, bent or damaged handrails, and broken emergency exit and overhead-bin parts. One bathroom commode got here off, whereas a crew seat and different parts close to the rear doorways had been additionally broken.
Printed – September 04, 2026 07:33 pm IST
