New Delhi: The Pilot-in-Command of Air India flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi that suddenly lost about 300 feet in altitude while cruising, has tested positive for psychoactive substances in the confirmatory test, sources said.
Both pilots had undergone mandatory psychoactive substance screening after the incident.
The initial screening of the Pilot-in-Command had returned a result requiring further analysis, following which the sample was sent to a designated laboratory for confirmatory testing.
His confirmatory test has now returned positive, sources said, as reported by India Today.
Air India has taken both pilots off the flying roster pending completion of the investigation into the incident involving an Airbus A320, registered as VT-EXO, on August 4.
There were 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members on board. Thirteen passengers and four cabin crew members were taken to hospital after landing. Some crew members suffering spinal and neck injuries.
Air India initially described the occurrence as a brief turbulence-related event that caused a momentary change in altitude after the aircraft was stabilised and landed safely in Delhi.
It was classified it as a “serious incident” by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation though and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau began a formal probe.
The aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been secured for examination after it came to be known it experienced multiple technical anomalies during the flight.
The A320 suffered an autopilot disconnect, triple hydraulic failures and other technical and mechanical glitches, sources had earlier said.
After the autopilot disconnected, the co-pilot reportedly took manual control, following which a flight-control stall message appeared. Several indicator switches also briefly went off.
Investigators will try to find out whether these reported failures, the turbulence and the sudden loss of altitude were connected and establish the precise sequence of events.
Airbus and France’s aviation accident investigation agency BEA are also expected to assist the AAIB inquiry under international aviation rules.