2 weeks ago
Air India Pilot Under Marijuana Influence Claims Sleep Medication
An Air India plane was flying from Phuket to Delhi when the nose of the plane suddenly dropped 300 feet.
That is like falling from the top of a very tall building in just two seconds.
Passengers who were not wearing seat belts were thrown up toward the ceiling right along with their bags.
About 20 passengers and four flight attendants got hurt.
After the plane landed, the pilots were tested for drugs.
The head pilot, called the captain, tested positive for marijuana.
The cabin crew said he was acting strangely, sitting on the cockpit floor and even trying to smoke inside the cockpit.
The other pilot, the co-pilot, had to fly the plane to safety almost all by himself.
The captain said he did not take drugs and was just taking medicine to help him sleep.
Investigators are still trying to figure out exactly what went wrong.
Air India flight AI-2379 plunged 300 feet over Odisha on August 4, injuring at least 20 passengers and four cabin crew members.
Pilot-in-command Sudeep Vashistha tested positive for marijuana in confirmatory psychoactive substance testing.
Cabin crew alleged Vashistha acted erratically in the cockpit, attempted to smoke, and had to be physically assisted back to his seat.
The post-flight maintenance report logged 13 system warnings and three failure messages, including hydraulic pressure drops and autopilot trip.
Vashistha denied using illegal substances, saying he was on doctor-prescribed sleep medication and had insufficient rest during a tight layover.
- Who
- Pilot-in-command Sudeep Vashistha, the co-pilot, and the 137 passengers and eight crew members aboard Air India flight AI-2379.
- What
- The aircraft suffered a 300-foot altitude plunge that injured 24 people; the pilot later tested positive for marijuana and the plane logged 13 warnings and three failure messages.
- Where
- Over Odisha, on the Phuket-Delhi route; the aircraft landed safely in Delhi.
- When
- August 4, during the cruise phase of the flight.
- Why
- Under investigation by the AAIB and DGCA, who are determining whether the plunge came from technical issues or flight control input while the captain was allegedly incapacitated.
Investigators and Crew Reports
Pilot and Air India
Pilot's behavior and drug claim
Investigators and Crew Reports
Cabin crew and an AAIB official allege Vashistha acted erratically under marijuana influence, tried to smoke in the cockpit, was unsteady, and needed physical assistance; confirmatory tests were positive.
Pilot and Air India
Vashistha denied using illegal substances, maintaining he was on doctor-prescribed sleep medication and had not rested enough during a tightly scheduled layover.
Disclosure of the incident
Investigators and Crew Reports
Aviation experts say the post-flight maintenance report revealed multiple technical failures and that Air India did not transparently disclose them, initially calling the event a minor 'turbulence-related' occurrence.
Pilot and Air India
Air India's first statement described 'a brief in-flight turbulence-related event' and a 'momentary change in altitude,' and the airline later removed the word turbulence from its statements.
Key facts
- Flight number
- AI-2379
- Route
- Phuket to Delhi
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320neo, registration VT-EXO
- Passengers and crew
- 137 passengers, 8 crew members
- Injuries
- At least 20 passengers and 4 cabin crew injured
- Incident
- 300-foot altitude plunge over Odisha on August 4
- Maintenance report
- 13 system warnings and 3 failure messages
- Pilot drug test
- Positive for marijuana in confirmatory testing
Sources
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