The Air India pilot slept for about 30 to 35 minutes during flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi before the aircraft experienced a sudden 300-foot altitude variation, according to accounts emerging during the investigation. The AAIB probe is examining the pilot’s rest, medication, drug test results and possible technical factors behind the August 4 incident.
Pilot sleep medication comes under scrutiny
The captain reportedly told investigators that he had been struggling with sleep and had taken prescribed medication. He is said to have experienced difficulty sleeping during the layover in Phuket and had faced sleep problems for some time because of personal circumstances.
The pilot reportedly did not specify which medication he had taken or how long he had been using it. Whether the medication had been disclosed to Air India is also not yet clear. Questions surrounding medication are relevant because pilots are expected to follow medical and operational requirements before reporting for flying duties.
The reported statements form part of the ongoing investigation and should not be treated as a final finding on the cause of the incident.
AI2379 altitude drop occurred during cruise
Air India flight AI2379, operated by an Airbus A320 registered VT-EXO, was travelling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when it experienced an altitude variation of about 300 feet during cruise.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation officially confirmed that the aircraft stabilised after the occurrence and subsequently landed safely in Delhi. The ministry classified the event as a serious incident and said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau was investigating it.
Reports based on the captain’s account indicate that he had slept for around 30 to 35 minutes before returning to the cockpit. The first officer was reportedly flying the aircraft while the captain was performing pilot-monitoring duties.
The captain was said to be standing behind the first officer when the sudden altitude change occurred. The movement reportedly caused him to fall to the cockpit floor, after which a cabin crew member helped him get back on his feet.
Air India drug test examined in AAIB probe
Both pilots underwent mandatory psychoactive substance screening following the incident. The Ministry of Civil Aviation initially confirmed that the pilot-in-command’s screening result required confirmatory laboratory testing.
Subsequent reporting said the captain’s confirmatory test returned positive for marijuana. However, investigators have not established that the test result caused or contributed to the altitude loss. The distinction is important because the investigation is also examining aircraft systems and other operational factors.
AAIB investigation continues into flight safety
The AAIB is examining flight data, cockpit information, crew accounts, aircraft maintenance records and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events. Airbus specialists are also assisting the investigation.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed only that AI2379 experienced an approximately 300-foot altitude variation and landed safely. The exact reason for the incident has not yet been officially established. Until the AAIB completes its investigation, conclusions linking the pilot’s sleep, medication, drug-test result or aircraft systems directly to the altitude loss remain premature.
