Software glitch or human error? Key questions in Air India Delhi-Phuket flight incident

NEW DELHI: Air India Friday sacked the pilot-in-command of its badly rattled Aug 4 Phuket-Delhi flight hours after Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report concluded the "PIC was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory (dope) test". Terming this confirmation a "serious concern", AAIB has asked Directorate General of Civil Aviation to "take appropriate actions as deemed fit to prevent abuse of psychoactive substance" on "priority" in its interim safety recommendations and conclusion. Aviation secretary Samir Sinha had soon after this accident asked DGCA chief Vir Vikram Yadav to make dope rules more stringent.AI was considering action, including termination, against the PIC for some weeks now but was awaiting AAIB's prelim report into what has now been categorised as an "accident" due to its severity and impact. An AI spokesperson said: "Safety remains AI's highest priority.