Delhi-Phuket Flight Turbulence: Air India Sacks Pilot After Positive Marijuana Test

A shocking development has emerged from the investigation into the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly plunged hundreds of feet in mid-air, injuring 24 people. The airline has terminated the pilot-in-command’s employment after a confirmatory test detected a psychoactive substance.

The incident took place on August 4, 2026, when Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi, experienced a sudden and dramatic change in altitude while cruising at about 36,000 feet.

The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. Twenty passengers and four cabin crew members were injured during the incident, while parts of the cabin, including overhead bins and ceiling panels, were damaged.

Pilot’s Drug Test Raises Major Safety Concern

Following the incident, both pilots underwent mandatory psychoactive-substance testing.

The co-pilot tested negative. However, the pilot-in-command initially returned a non-negative result, prompting a confirmatory laboratory test.

The confirmatory result was also non-negative. Sources have identified the substance as marijuana. The AAIB’s preliminary report described confirmation of psychoactive-substance use as a serious concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action as a priority.

Air India responded by taking the strongest possible employment action.

The airline said the pilot’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect, citing its zero-tolerance approach to breaches involving safety, fitness and regulatory requirements.

Did Marijuana Cause the Aircraft to Drop?

This is a crucial distinction.

The preliminary investigation has not concluded that the pilot’s drug use caused the aircraft’s sudden altitude loss.

Instead, investigators identified a separate and unusual technical event involving the aircraft’s hydraulic systems. The report found that the flight-control system detected the loss of all three hydraulic systems in quick succession, causing the autopilot to disengage and triggering a stall warning.

The aircraft initially climbed about 372 feet above its assigned altitude before dropping approximately 292 feet below it during the event. The hydraulic systems began recovering within seconds, allowing the flight controls to return to normal operation.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether the hydraulic systems genuinely lost pressure or whether some of the indications were spurious.

Why Were So Many People Injured?

At the time of the incident, the seatbelt signs were switched off.

The sudden pitch and altitude change caused passengers and cabin crew who were not secured to be thrown upward and into parts of the cabin. The preliminary report says the aircraft experienced a rapid pitch-up followed by a significant altitude upset.

After stabilising the aircraft, the crew decided to continue toward Delhi rather than divert. They contacted Delhi air traffic control and requested medical priority.

The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

AAIB Investigation Continues

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has not yet issued a final conclusion.

Investigators are examining flight-data recorder information, cockpit voice recordings, aircraft components, maintenance records and other operational evidence. Airbus and France’s BEA are assisting with the technical investigation.

The preliminary report therefore provides important clues but does not establish the final cause of the accident.

Air India Expands Drug Testing

The incident has also triggered a broader review of pilot drug-testing procedures.

Air India has started voluntary testing of 100% of its pilots, going beyond the regulatory requirement. Meanwhile, the government is considering increasing random testing, with the possibility of testing every pilot at least once a year instead of the existing system under which a smaller proportion is tested annually.

The AAIB has specifically called for priority action to prevent the abuse of psychoactive substances among aviation personnel.

A Serious Warning for Aviation Safety

The Phuket-Delhi incident has raised two separate safety questions: what caused the aircraft’s unusual hydraulic and flight-control event, and how did a pilot responsible for the safety of hundreds of people test positive for a psychoactive substance?

The investigation into the aircraft’s technical failure is still underway, while Air India’s decision to dismiss the pilot demonstrates how seriously the airline is treating the confirmed drug-test finding.

For now, investigators have not linked the positive marijuana test directly to the aircraft’s sudden altitude loss. The final investigation will be needed to establish exactly what caused the mid-air emergency.