Air India Phuket-Delhi pilot was also on sleep medication, did not get adequate rest before flight

The pilot in command (PIC) of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that encountered a sudden loss of altitude last week was not only on marijuana but was also taking medicines for "sleep difficulty", according to the airline's internal flight safety report.

The latest revelation was made by the PIC before a team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), reported NDTV.

The incident, involving an Airbus A320neo, injured 13 passengers and four crew members. However, the aircraft that suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude while it was flying from Phuket to Delhi carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, landed safely in Delhi.

"I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor," the pilot said in a flight safety statement, as reported by NDTV.

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He also claimed that he struggled to sleep during his layover as the manner in which the roster was scheduled it “compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery", according to the report.

"During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality," he said.

The case has put renewed focus on how India tests pilots for alcohol and drugs, what happens after a positive result?

Alcohol and drug testing are handled differently because alcohol can be measured through breath or blood alcohol concentration, while drug screening generally involves biological samples and subsequent laboratory confirmation.

Under DGCA rules, flight crew members operating scheduled flights originating from India are required to undergo a pre-flight breath-analyser examination at the first departure airport during a flight duty period. If a crew member operates a flight without undergoing the test, the person is to be taken off the roster at the first point of landing, and the matter reported to the DGCA.

India has separate but complementary rules covering alcohol and psychoactive substances. Under Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, a person acting as a pilot or other operating crew member cannot consume alcohol, sedatives, narcotic or stimulant drugs within 12 hours before the commencement of a flight or during the flight. The rules also prohibit crew from being in a state of intoxication or having detectable blood alcohol while performing their duties.

For alcohol, DGCA rules require pre-flight breath-analyser testing for flight crew and cabin crew on scheduled flights. The equipment and testing process are regulated, with confirmatory testing available when an initial result is positive. Positive or missed tests must be reported to the DGCA within 24 hours.