Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight: Pilot Tests Positive After Plane Gains 372 Ft And Drops 292 Ft
New Delhi, 4th September 2026: The pilot-in-command of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi tested positive for a psychoactive substance following an incident in which the aircraft experienced a sudden altitude upset over Odisha, according to the preliminary investigation report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday.
Air India flight AI2379, operated by an Airbus A320, was carrying 145 people, including 137 passengers, six cabin crew members and two pilots, when it encountered the incident during its cruise at around 36,000 feet.
According to the AAIB report, the aircraft first detected a loss of pressure in the green hydraulic system. Within seconds, the blue and yellow hydraulic systems also showed a loss of pressure. The failure led to the autopilot disconnecting and a stall warning being triggered.
During the incident, the aircraft initially gained 372 feet before falling 292 feet from its assigned flight level. The co-pilot, who was the pilot flying at the time, responded to the situation before the pilot-in-command took over the controls. The hydraulic systems were subsequently restored and the aircraft continued its flight to Delhi.
The sudden altitude change caused injuries inside the cabin, with 20 passengers and four cabin crew members requiring medical attention. The flight landed safely in Delhi.
Following the flight, both pilots underwent mandatory breath analyser tests, which were found satisfactory. They were also subjected to psychoactive substance detection tests.
The sample of the pilot-in-command was found to be non-negative. A subsequent confirmatory blood test also returned a non-negative result, while the co-pilot tested negative in both tests.
The AAIB has recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot-in-command on priority, while noting that the detailed investigation into the incident is still underway.
The report also examines the aircraft’s triple hydraulic system failure, with investigators looking into technical aspects of the incident. Hydraulic components and fluid samples have been collected for further examination, while flight recorder data is also being analysed.
The preliminary findings do not represent the final conclusions of the investigation. Further technical examination into the aircraft systems and other aspects of the incident is ongoing.
