AN AIR INDIA pilot whose flight plunged around 300 feet during turbulence, injuring 17 passengers and crew, is undergoing a “confirmatory” psychoactive drug test, India’s aviation ministry said Sunday.
The Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew, lost around 300 feet (91 metres) on August 4 while flying from Phuket in Thailand to New Delhi. The aircraft later stabilised and landed safely, the civil aviation ministry said.
Eight passengers and four cabin crew members were admitted to hospitals after landing in the Indian capital. Their conditions were described as “stable”. Both pilots were then given a standard “psychoactive substance screening test”, the statement said.
“The screening test in respect of the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) indicated a result requiring confirmatory testing,” it said.
“Samples have accordingly been sent to the designated laboratory for confirmatory analysis, and the final report is awaited.”
The ministry said the flight had been classified as a “Serious Incident”, and that India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had launched an investigation.
Both pilots have been removed from the flying roster pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Further action, as appropriate, will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation and confirmatory test results,” it added.
Videos of the incident’s aftermath showed cabin baggage strewn across the aisle. Some of those injured were taken to hospital on stretchers.
Air India, in a statement earlier on Sunday, confirmed that a “post-flight screening test” had been conducted on the flight’s pilots, but said the results had not been shared with the company.
The incident is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Indian carrier, which appointed a new executive on Wednesday.
Since taking over Air India in 2022, India’s Tata Group has embarked on an overhaul, ordering hundreds of aircraft and upgrading its ageing fleet.
While the airline has managed to modernise operations and integrate the group’s aviation businesses, it has faced headwinds including aircraft delivery delays and airspace closures caused by the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
The biggest blow to the airline’s image came in June 2025, when Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
The carrier has now turned to former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO as it seeks to execute a turnaround.
