An Air India pilot took drugs before a passenger flight from Phuket to New Delhi and nearly crashed the aircraft after causing a sudden altitude drop, injuring 24 people on board.
The captain lost control of the airliner during the flight on August 4, allowing the aircraft to plunge 91 meters in mid-air. The rapid descent resulted in injuries to 20 passengers and four crew members before the co-pilot intervened, took control of the flight, and managed to bring the plane to a safe landing.
According to details reported by The Times of India, the captain was sitting on the floor inside the cockpit during the flight and attempting to light a cigarette. Flight attendants repeatedly had to guide him back to his seat because he was unable to maintain full control of himself. After the plane landed and passengers disembarked, the pilot could not walk normally.
A post-flight drug test conducted on the captain returned a positive result. Airline authorities subsequently suspended him from flying duties pending formal disciplinary and regulatory proceedings.
Aviation Safety Regulations and Airline Operations
Air India is the national flag carrier of India, headquartered in New Delhi and operating flights to destinations across Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. The international route between Phuket International Airport in Thailand and Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is a major travel corridor for tourists and business travelers. Under international civil aviation standards, commercial pilots are subject to strict zero-tolerance policies regarding substance use prior to and during flight operations.
A sudden altitude loss of 91 meters, equivalent to nearly 300 feet, subjects an aircraft cabin to extreme acceleration forces. In commercial aviation, such abrupt drops can cause unsecured passengers, cabin crew, and service carts to collide violently with the ceiling and interior fixtures.
The incident follows a separate recent safety breakdown in European airspace where a pilot lost control of a passenger aircraft. During that earlier occurrence, a colleague co-piloting the plane made a navigation mistake on landing approach, resulting in the aircraft flying at an altitude of approximately 1,200 meters directly over central London.
