The investigation into the Air India flight AI2379 incident is taking a new turn, with reports claiming that the pilot who was allegedly linked to a positive initial drug screening has also tested positive for marijuana in a second, confirmatory test.
The development has added another important element to the investigation into why the Phuket-to-Delhi flight suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude during the journey.
The incident occurred on August 4, when Air India flight AI2379 was traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi. While flying over Indian airspace, the aircraft suddenly dropped by approximately 300 feet, causing severe turbulence and panic among passengers and crew.
Several passengers and four crew members were reportedly injured, although different reports have given slightly different figures. The aircraft eventually continued its journey and landed safely in Delhi.
However, the exact cause of the sudden loss of altitude has not yet been established.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the incident. Investigators are examining the aircraft’s flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, and other evidence. Airbus and experts from France’s Bureau of Inquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) are also assisting with the technical investigation.
Pilot’s Drug Test Becomes a Major Focus
Following the incident, the pilots were subjected to mandatory alcohol and psychoactive-substance testing as part of aviation safety procedures.
According to reports, the initial test of the pilot-in-command indicated the presence of a psychoactive substance. Because an initial screening result is generally not treated as conclusive on its own, a second test was conducted for confirmation.
Recent reports, citing sources familiar with the matter, claim that the second test also returned positive for marijuana.
If officially confirmed, the result could become a significant part of the regulatory and disciplinary investigation into the pilot.
However, there is an important distinction to make.
The reported result has not been publicly confirmed as a final finding by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation or Air India. Therefore, the reported positive result should not yet be treated as an official conclusion that the pilot was under the influence of marijuana while operating the aircraft.
Air India has reportedly said that it was not aware of the initial or final test results mentioned in the reports. The ministry has also not publicly confirmed the reported second-test result.
A Positive Marijuana Test Does Not Automatically Prove Impairment
One of the most important issues in this case is the difference between detecting marijuana in a biological sample and proving that someone was impaired at a particular moment.
A drug test can indicate the presence of a substance or its metabolites. But that does not automatically establish that the person was intoxicated or impaired at the exact time they were flying the aircraft.
That distinction could be particularly important in the AI2379 investigation.
Investigators, therefore, cannot rely solely on the drug-test result to determine why the aircraft suddenly lost altitude.
They will also need to examine the aircraft’s technical data, cockpit recordings, weather conditions, maintenance history, pilot actions, and other possible human factors.
Why Did AI2379 Lose 300 Feet?
The central question remains: Why did the aircraft suddenly lose around 300 feet of altitude?
Was it caused by severe turbulence?
Was there a technical problem?
Did the aircraft experience an unexpected change in flight conditions?
Did a pilot decision contribute to the event?
Or was there a combination of factors?
These questions remain unanswered.
The aircraft recovered and landed safely in Delhi, but the sudden change in altitude caused injuries and prompted a formal investigation.
The drug-test results may become relevant if investigators discover evidence connecting the pilot’s condition to the aircraft’s behavior. But at this stage, there is no publicly available evidence confirming such a connection.
Both Pilots Reportedly Removed From Flying Duties
Reports have also indicated that both pilots involved in AI2379 were temporarily removed from flying duties following the incident.
The situation involving the pilot-in-command became particularly serious because of the reported drug test result.
Removing a pilot from safety-sensitive duties while an investigation is underway may be considered a precautionary measure. It does not necessarily mean that the pilot has been permanently dismissed or that their license has been canceled.
No final decision of that nature has been publicly established at this stage.
India’s aviation regulations include procedures for handling positive drug test results among pilots and other safety-sensitive personnel. Depending on the circumstances and applicable rules, a first positive result can lead to removal from duty and medical or rehabilitation procedures, followed by further fitness assessments.
Repeated positive results can result in more serious regulatory consequences.
What action will ultimately be taken against the AI2379 pilot will depend on the official test reports, the investigation, and decisions by the relevant aviation authorities.
Government and Aviation Authorities Under Pressure
The incident has also raised questions about Air India’s broader safety procedures.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has reportedly sought an explanation from Air India’s outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson regarding the incident.
The ministry has stressed that aviation safety cannot be compromised and that investigators should be allowed to complete their work before reaching definitive conclusions.
The involvement of Airbus and France’s BEA experts also highlights the technical importance of the investigation.
A sudden loss of altitude can have many possible causes. Weather conditions, turbulence, mechanical issues, maintenance, pilot actions, and cockpit circumstances must all be considered before investigators can identify the actual cause.
Flight Data Could Provide the Key Answers
The flight data recorder could provide investigators with crucial information about the aircraft’s speed, altitude, direction, and other flight parameters during the incident.
The cockpit voice recorder could also help investigators understand what the pilots were discussing and what was happening inside the cockpit at the time.
Together with medical reports and other evidence, these records could help investigators determine whether the pilot’s reported drug-test result was connected to the aircraft’s behavior.
This is why it would be premature to conclude that the pilot’s reported positive marijuana test caused the aircraft to lose altitude.
Two Separate Questions Must Be Answered
The AI2379 investigation essentially involves two important questions.
First: Did the pilot violate aviation safety regulations by using a prohibited or psychoactive substance?
Second: Did the pilot’s condition have anything to do with the aircraft suddenly losing around 300 feet of altitude?
The answers to these questions may ultimately be connected—or they may be completely separate.
For example, investigators could determine that the pilot violated drug-testing regulations while finding that the aircraft’s altitude loss was caused by turbulence or a technical issue.
Alternatively, if investigators establish a direct connection between the pilot’s condition and the incident, the consequences could be much more serious.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
The reported positive result from the second drug test has undoubtedly added a significant new element to the AI2379 investigation.
But it should still be treated as an investigative finding reported by sources, rather than a final official verdict.
The key evidence will come from the AAIB investigation, medical testing records, flight-data analysis, cockpit recordings, pilot statements, and technical examinations of the aircraft.
Until those findings are officially established, it would be misleading to say that the pilot was definitely flying under the influence of marijuana or that drug use caused the aircraft to lose altitude.
For now, the most important distinction is simple: the reported positive drug test and the cause of the aircraft’s sudden 300-foot altitude loss are two separate issues.
Whether the two are connected is the crucial question investigators still need to answer.