An investigation by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has identified a temporary triple hydraulic failure as the cause of a significant altitude drop on Air India flight AI2379 last month. The incident, which occurred on August 4 over Indian airspace, resulted in injuries to 24 individuals aboard the Airbus A320.
The flight was en route from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi with 137 passengers, six cabin crew members, and two pilots on board. According to the preliminary report released on Friday, the aircraft initially gained 372 feet before suddenly descending by 292 feet. During this episode, the autopilot disengaged, and a stall warning was triggered for approximately two seconds. The hydraulic systems subsequently recovered, allowing normal flight operations to resume.
Following the incident, both pilots underwent testing for psycho-active substances. The AAIB reported that the initial sample from the pilot in command (PIC) tested non-negative. Consequently, blood samples from both flight crew members were sent to a pathological laboratory for confirmation. The confirmatory test for the PIC remained non-negative, while the co-pilot’s samples tested negative in both instances. The bureau described the confirmed use of a psycho-active substance by the PIC as a “serious concern.”
In response to the findings, Air India has reportedly ordered one-time drug tests for its pilots. The investigation is ongoing, and a comprehensive final report is expected to be issued at a later date.
24 injured and the investigation is already pointing to pilot substance use. This needs a thorough probe.
Wait, does ‘non-negative’ mean positive? If so, what kind of drug was it and how did it get past pre-flight checks?
This brings back memories of the Jet Airways incident. Is India’s aviation safety framework really being updated or just reacting?
One-time tests? That’s not enough. We need random checks every flight, not just one-shot responses.
The hydraulic failure alone is serious enough. Why are we focusing only on the pilot? The maintenance records should also be examined.