3 hrs ago
DGCA Orders One-Time Drug Tests for Pilots by July 2027
India’s aviation regulator wants every airline pilot to take a drug test once by July 2027.
The decision came after an Air India plane suddenly dropped about 300 feet during a flight from Phuket to Delhi.
The plane had a brief problem with all three hydraulic systems, and its autopilot switched off.
The aircraft landed safely, but 20 passengers and four crew members were injured.
The captain later tested positive for illegal drugs.
Investigators have not said that the drug use caused the plane’s altitude loss.
Air India had already begun testing its own pilots after the incident.
Officials are also considering stricter rules, including testing pilots more often.
Pilots who test positive may be removed from flying duties and face rehabilitation or license penalties under existing rules.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered all airlines to conduct one-time psychoactive-substance tests for their pilots by July 2027.
The directive followed an Air India Airbus A320 incident on a Phuket–Delhi flight that lost about 300 feet in altitude on August 4.
The aircraft experienced a brief failure of all three hydraulic systems, causing the autopilot to disengage; 20 passengers and four crew members were injured.
The captain tested positive for illegal drugs, but investigators have not established that the result caused or contributed to the altitude loss.
The regulator is preparing potentially stricter testing rules, while current regulations require random annual testing of 10% of pilots and air traffic controllers.
- Who
- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Indian airlines and pilots, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.
- What
- A one-time drug-testing programme for pilots across Indian airlines, alongside proposed stricter rules for testing aviation personnel.
- Where
- The incident occurred on an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi, India.
- When
- The flight incident occurred on August 4; testing is due by July 2027, and revised rules are expected by the end of September or month-end.
- Why
- The measures followed the captain’s positive drug test after an aircraft altitude-loss incident and the AAIB’s warning that psychoactive-substance use was a serious concern.
Key facts
- Testing deadline
- Airlines are expected to complete one-time pilot testing by July 2027.
- Estimated pilots affected
- Indian airlines are estimated to employ nearly 14,000 pilots.
- Air India testing
- Air India and Air India Express began voluntary one-time random testing of about 5,000 pilots.
- Flight incident
- An Air India Airbus A320 lost approximately 300 feet in altitude during a Phuket–Delhi flight on August 4.
- Reported injuries
- Twenty passengers and four cabin crew members were injured; 17 of those 24 people were hospitalised.
- Current rules
- Existing regulations require random annual testing of 10% of pilots and air traffic controllers.
- Disciplinary framework
- A confirmed first positive test can lead to rehabilitation and new testing; a second positive result can bring a three-year license suspension, while a third can lead to license cancellation.
Quotes
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
India’s aviation accident investigation agency
“In this case, it has been observed that the PIC was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test. The confirmation of use of psycho-active substance is a serious concern and AAIB recommends appropriate actions by DGCA on priority.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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