Air India Pilot Tests Positive for Marijuana Following Mid-Air Altitude Drop

An Air India captain has tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test following an incident where a flight from Phuket to New Delhi plunged approximately 300 feet mid-air on August 4. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently probing the event, which resulted in injuries to 24 people, including 20 passengers and four crew members. Both pilots were removed from flying duties after the flight landed in New Delhi for standard psychoactive substance screening. While the captain's initial test was non-negative, a subsequent confirmatory test confirmed the presence of marijuana.

The AAIB is conducting a comprehensive investigation involving technical, operational, medical, and human factor evidence. This effort is supported by Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, the BEA. Some reports indicate that a preliminary defect report prepared by the pilots mentioned technical glitches, including a stall warning and an autopilot disconnection. Air India stated it could not comment on the drug test results as authorities had not shared the findings with the airline, though it noted that it conducts regular drug testing for crew.

Accounts of the event vary in focus. Center-right reporting emphasizes passenger testimony, quoting a traveler who claimed the pilot appeared high with red eyes before takeoff and allegedly asked passengers not to record the incident after landing. In contrast, center-left reporting frames the incident within the broader context of Air India's operational struggles, mentioning a previous fatal crash in June 2025 and the recent appointment of a new chief executive.