Air India terminates Phuket-Delhi pilot after AAIB confirms ‘non-negative’ psychoactive substance test

Air India said in a statement on Friday that it has terminated the pilot-in-command (PIC) of its August 4 Phuket-Delhi flight after the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude in cruise, injuring 20 passengers and 4 crew members.The pilot tested “non-negative” for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test, according to a preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday.“Safety remains Air India's highest priority. The Pilot-in-Command of the Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for a psychoactive substance. In line with Air India's zero-tolerance approach to violation of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements, the pilot's employment has been terminated with immediate effect,” an Air India spokesperson said in a statement.What AAIB report saidThe report said the PIC was the pilot monitoring, meaning the crew member on a two-pilot aircraft who was not handling the primary controls at the time.