NEW DELHI: The pilot of an Indian airliner that temporarily lost all three hydraulic systems during a flight from Phuket to New Delhi has failed a drug test and been dismissed by Air India, as investigators examine the serious incident involving 145 people.
The Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members on August 4 when it experienced a sudden altitude upset. Twenty-four people were injured before the aircraft stabilised and later landed safely.
🚨 Air India’s Phuket–Delhi A320 lost pressure in all 3 hydraulic systems at 36,000 ft, triggering an autopilot disconnect, stall warning and altitude upset that injured 24. AAIB flagged the PIC’s positive psychoactive-substance test; Air India has terminated pilot. pic.twitter.com/ORN2CQygMX
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India’s civil aviation ministry classified the episode as a “serious incident”.
Indian Airliner Lost All Three Hydraulic Systems
A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that the aircraft’s flight-control system detected the loss of all three hydraulic systems for several seconds.
According to the report, the aircraft initially climbed 372 feet before dropping 292 feet.
The hydraulic failure caused the autopilot to disengage and triggered a two-second stall warning. The hydraulic systems subsequently recovered, allowing the aircraft to return to normal operation.
Airbus and France’s civil aviation safety agency, the BEA, are assisting Indian authorities with the investigation.
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Pilot Fails Drug Test
The investigation also revealed that the pilot in command was found “non-negative for psycho-active substance” in a confirmatory test.
The AAIB described confirmation of psychoactive substance use as a “serious concern”.
Air India subsequently announced that the captain had been dismissed with immediate effect, citing the airline’s zero-tolerance approach towards violations of safety, fitness and regulatory requirements.
Following the incident, Air India ordered a mandatory one-time drug screening of all its pilots, while Indian aviation authorities began considering tighter rules for screening pilots for psychoactive substances.
The incident represents another safety challenge for the Tata Group-owned Indian carrier. In June 2025, Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard as well as 19 people on the ground.
Air India last month appointed former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its new chief executive as the carrier seeks to strengthen its operations and move towards profitability.
