India
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AAIB flags Air India pilot psychoactive substance test
The Hindu··4 Sept
AAIB said the pilot-in-command of the August 4 Air India Phuket-Delhi flight tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance. It called the finding a serious concern and recommended priority DGCA action. Twenty-four people were injured after a brief altitude loss when all three hydraulic systems failed. The co-pilot was flying and tested negative. Airbus A320 VT-EXO recovered and continued to Delhi.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Passengers and crew on the Phuket-Delhi service faced injuries when seat-belt signs were off in cruise.
- AAIB has asked DGCA to act on psychoactive substance use as a priority.
- The final investigation report may take a year or more, AAIB indicated.
What's Happening
- The Airbus A320 VT-EXO lost all three hydraulic systems briefly while cruising near FL360.
- The aircraft gained 372 ft then fell 292 ft from its assigned level during the upset.
- The co-pilot was pilot flying; the PIC's confirmatory test was non-negative, the co-pilot's negative.
What failed on the A320
- Indian Express counted 20 passengers and four cabin crew injured, with 17 of 24 hospitalised.
- The cabin saw cracked panels, broken handrails and an uprooted lavatory commode, AAIB said.
- Airbus and France's BEA are assisting the AAIB probe into the hydraulic failure.
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