Air India flight lost hydraulics, pilot fired after drug test

Air India flight lost hydraulics, pilot fired after drug test.

Key points

• "Initially, it gained 372 feet and fell by 292 feet."
• The investigation is the latest challenge for Air India, owned by India's Tata Group.
• Both Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, the BEA, remarked they are assisting the Indian investigation into the flight.
• After the incident, India's aviation ministry stated the regulator was considering tighter screening rules for psychoactive substances.
• The inquiry additionally stated the pilot in command "was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test".

Air India flight lost hydraulics, pilot fired after drug test. AFP Published September 4, 2026 Updated September 4, 2026 08: 18pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

As the airline fired the captain who tested positive for psychoactive substances, an Air India flight that injured passengers when it plunged midair last month suffered a temporary loss of hydraulic systems, investigators remarked on Friday.

Notably, the Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew, suddenly lost altitude on August 4 while flying from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi, injuring 24 individuals before stabilising and landing safely. India's civil aviation ministry classified it as a "serious incident".

Notably, a preliminary report published on Friday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) stated the flight-control system detected the loss of three hydraulic systems for a number of seconds.

"The aircraft encountered altitude upset, " it read. "Initially, it gained 372 feet and fell by 292 feet."

In practice, the hydraulic failure caused the autopilot to disengage and triggered a two-second stall warning before the systems recovered and the aircraft returned to normal operation, the report remarked.

Notably, the inquiry additionally stated the pilot in command "was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test".

"The confirmation of use of psycho-active substance is a serious concern, " the report read.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Air India remarked the pilot has been "terminated with immediate effect", in line with the company's "zero-tolerance approach to violation of safety, fitness or regulatory requirements".

After the incident, India's aviation ministry stated the regulator was considering tighter screening rules for psychoactive substances. Air India ordered a mandatory one-time drug screening of all of its pilots last month.

In practice, the investigation is the latest challenge for Air India, owned by India's Tata Group. It has struggled to turn around the carrier after a series of setbacks. The airline has additionally been hit by flight disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East.

When Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 individuals on board and 19 residents on the ground, the biggest blow to the airline's image came in June 2025.

Notably, the Indian carrier appointed Tewolde Gebremariam as its new chief executive last month, betting that the former Ethiopian Airlines chief will be able to steer Air India out of the current storm and towards profitability.

Taken together, the developments around air India flight lost hydraulics, pilot fired after drug test point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.