Air India pilot fired after testing positive for psychoactive substance after aircraft dropped 300 feet mid-flight
Around 137 passengers were on board when the plane suddenly dropped, leaving 24 people injured.
An Air India pilot has been sacked for testing positive for psychoactive substances after the plane he was flying plunged 300 feet mid-air.
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The alarming incident unfolded on an Airbus A320 bound for New Dehli which had departed from Phuket, Thailand.
Around 137 passengers were on board when the plane suddenly dropped, leaving 24 people injured.
The 300 ft plunge was labelled by India’s civil aviation ministry as a “Serious Incident.”
A probe into the incident by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that the aircraft had encountered "altitude upset".
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The report said the flight-control system detected the loss of three hydraulic systems for several seconds.
This triggered the autopilot to disengage, before the systems recovered and the aircraft returned to normal operation.
The pilot “was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test", the report continued.
It added that the "confirmation of use of psycho-active substance is a serious concern".
A spokesperson for Air India said the pilot has been “terminated with immediate effect,” in keeping with the company’s “zero-tolerance approach to violation of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements.”
The airline ordered a compulsory one-off drug screening of all of its pilots last month.
India’s aviation ministry said it was considering tougher screening rules for psychoactive substances in light of the incident.