3 weeks ago
Air India pilot tests positive for marijuana after Phuket-Delhi flight
An airplane called Air India flight AI2379 was flying from Phuket in Thailand to Delhi in India when it suddenly dropped about 300 feet in the sky.
That scared the people inside, and 24 passengers and crew members got hurt.
Afterward, the people in charge tested both pilots for drugs.
The main pilot reportedly tested positive for marijuana, a drug that changes how the brain works and is not allowed for pilots.
Because of this, both pilots have been told to stop flying while the accident is investigated.
In India, pilots are tested for alcohol before almost every flight, and at least 10% of them are randomly tested for drugs every year.
Pilots in the United States and the United Kingdom have similar rules.
One tricky thing is that marijuana can stay in a person's body for days or weeks, so a positive test does not always mean the pilot was affected during the flight.
Investigators will also check whether technical problems with the plane played a role in the sudden drop.
Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 flying from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, on August 4, suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude and briefly entered a negative-G condition, injuring 24 people.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said 20 passengers and four cabin crew members were injured in the incident.
The pilot-in-command reportedly tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory laboratory test after an initial non-negative screening, and both Air India pilots have been taken off the flying roster pending the probe.
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requires random psychoactive substance testing of at least 10% of flight crew and air traffic controllers each year, with penalties escalating from a 3-month licence suspension to permanent cancellation for repeat offences.
The US Department of Transportation and the UK Civil Aviation Authority similarly prohibit marijuana use by safety-sensitive aviation employees, though experts note a positive cannabis test does not by itself prove impairment while flying.
- Who
- The pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379 (name not reported), who reportedly tested positive for marijuana; both Air India pilots were taken off the flying roster.
- What
- The Airbus A320 suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude and briefly entered a negative-G condition, injuring 24 people; the pilot-in-command reportedly failed a confirmatory drug test for marijuana.
- Where
- On Air India flight AI2379 flying from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, under the oversight of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
- When
- The incident occurred on August 4; the confirmatory positive result was reported around August 12.
- Why
- Mandatory psychoactive substance screening was triggered after the serious mid-air incident, and the pilot-in-command's confirmatory test reportedly showed marijuana, though a positive result does not by itself prove impairment during the flight.
Key facts
- Flight number
- AI2379
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320
- Route
- Phuket to Delhi
- Incident date
- August 4
- Altitude loss
- About 300 feet; briefly entered negative-G condition
- Injuries
- 24 (20 passengers, 4 cabin crew)
- Pilot test result
- Positive for marijuana in confirmatory laboratory test
- Current status
- Both pilots off flying roster pending investigation
Sources
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