Air India pilot who consumed marijuana fell asleep during Phuket-Delhi flight? Here’s what we know
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Air India pilot who consumed marijuana fell asleep during Phuket-Delhi flight? Here’s what we know")
An inside view of the Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi after it hit turbulence, injuring a number of passengers, in New Delhi on Aug 4. Photograph: (ANI)
Air India’s Phuket-Delhi flight pilot reportedly slept for 30–35 minutes mid-flight and told investigators he had long suffered from sleep problems. The AAIB is investigating the 300-foot altitude drop.
The pilot of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost altitude mid-air on August 4 reportedly slept for 30-35 minutes during the flight. This comes as an investigation continues into the incident in which 13 passengers and four crew members were injured when the plane suddenly dropped 300 feet in altitude.
According to a Hindustan Times report, citing two people familiar with his account to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the pilot was suffering from sleep difficulties and was on prescribed medication. Earlier reports indicated that he had tested positive for marijuana following a drug test.
The pilot allegedly told investigators he was unable to sleep during his layover in Phuket. He reportedly also said he had been struggling with sleep for some time due to personal circumstances. The report added that the pilot did not identify the medication he was taking or specify how long he had been using it.
Under DGCA regulations, pilots taking prescription medication are required to disclose it to their airline. Failure to do so can lead to action by the airline. It remains unclear whether the pilot had made such a declaration.
Did pilot sleep during flight?
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According to the report, the pilot told investigators he slept for about 30 to 35 minutes during the flight, then used the washroom before returning to the cockpit and standing behind the first officer. He was discussing the aircraft’s air-conditioning system when the sudden altitude drop occurred, and the impact reportedly threw him to the cockpit floor. Reportedly, the first officer was flying the aircraft, while the commander was serving as the pilot monitoring.
A cabin crew member seated in the observer seat, a position assigned by the departing pilot when leaving the cockpit, helped the commander back to his feet, it added. The account is the first detailed description from the cockpit crew of the events aboard flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 registered as VT-EXO. However, the complete sequence of events cannot be verified.
