Air India flight captain tests positive for substance abuse

New Delhi: The captain of the Phuket-Delhi Air India flight that rapidly lost around 300 feet of altitude last week, injuring 17 passengers, has been tested positive for marijuana in the final confirmatory test, said people aware of the development.

Initial urine screening of the pilot conducted after landing at Delhi returned a "non-negative" result. A confirmatory test in case of non-negative result is done as a false positive can be triggered by legitimate therapeutic treatment or sources such as pain-relief medication.

Confirmatory tests use high-complexity instrumentation such as spectral analysis of hair samples.


This is the second time an Air India pilot has come under scrutiny for substance abuse. In April, a first officer was deported from the US after American authorities allegedly found marijuana in his baggage upon arrival in San Francisco.

Air India didn't respond to a request for comment.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules permit a pilot who tests positive for substance abuse to return to flying after undergoing rehabilitation and deaddiction, with a second positive test resulting in a three-year licence suspension and a third leading to permanent cancellation of the permit.

However, Air India's internal rules are far more stringent, and mandate a direct termination if tested positive for first time itself.

On Tuesday, Air India's top management led by outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson met civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to discuss the incident.

Apart from Wilson, former aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, currently executive advisor to Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, also attended the meeting.