Captain of Air India flight that lost 300 feet of altitude fails two dope tests
The captain of the Air India flight en route to Delhi tested positive for marijuana twice, local reports revealed.
The pilot, Sudeep Vashistha, who admitted to being on sleep medication, also slept for 30 to 35 minutes during the flight and was not in his seat when the incident occurred.
Pilot was not in his seat
The incident report stated that Vashistha was not in his seat and his co-pilot was in command of the aircraft when the incident occurred, NDTV reported.
The pilot allegedly said he slept for 30 to 35 minutes during the flight and used the washroom before returning to stand behind the first officer.
He was discussing the air-conditioning system when the plane plummeted 300 feet. He was then thrown to the cockpit floor.
Sources also alleged that the captain called a cabin attendant to take over his seat.
After the incident, he reportedly scolded the attendant for mishandling the operation.
Pilot allegedly unsteady on his feet upon landing
Additionally, sources claimed that when the captain went to the cabin to check up on injuries, he told passengers not to film him or the aircraft.
Source: @minchen_t on X
Upon landing in Delhi, the pilot was allegedly unsteady on his feet and had to be helped to sit down.
An investigating officer also had to help him as he submitted his urine sample.
Both the captain and his co-pilot have been off-rostered amid ongoing investigation.
Pilot was on prescribed sleep medication
In his statement to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Vashistha revealed he had been having difficulty sleeping.
As a result, he had been prescribed medication by his family doctor.
During his layover in Phuket, he attempted to rest, but said “sleep did not come easy”.
Vashistha also said the roster duties were legally within the prescribed rest limits.
However, he claimed they were scheduled in a way that “compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery”.
For his first flight, he had to report for duty at 12.10am, which meant he needed to start preparing before 10pm, causing him not to get a good sleep.
After the flight, he claimed that finishing his post-flight duties and getting to the hotel in Phuket took up to two hours, which cut further into his rest time and left him unable to fully recover.
For his second flight, Vashistha said he had to wake up at 3am Indian Standard Time (IST).
Airline initially blamed altitude loss on turbulence
On 4 Aug, flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi lost 300 feet of altitude while flying over Odisha, India.
According to The Hindustan Times, Air India blamed the drop on turbulence in its initial statement.
Source: @fl360aero on X
The government also initially said 14 passengers on the flight – which carried 137 passengers, six cabin crew and two pilots – were injured.
However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a statement on Tuesday (11 Aug) that 24 sustained injuries.
These include four cabin crew members and 20 passengers.
Source: NDTV
Also read: Japan Airlines cabin attendant allegedly drinks alcohol before shift, causing 40-minute flight delay
Japan Airlines cabin attendant allegedly drinks alcohol before shift, causing 40-minute flight delay
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Featured image adapted from @minchen_t on X, @ZiddiNaagrik on X.
