- The Air India pilot was on sleep medication during the Phuket-Delhi flight incident
- The flight suddenly lost 300 feet altitude, injuring 24 onboard passengers and crew
- The pilot had tested positive twice for marijuana in previous drug tests
The pilot in command of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that encountered a sudden loss of altitude last week was on medication for "sleep difficulty", as per the airline's internal flight safety report accessed by NDTV.
The pilot, who has tested positive for marijuana in a drug test twice, said that the "sleep did not come easily" to him during the layover.
The aircraft, AI-2379, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, had suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude while it was flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4.
At least 20 passengers and four crew members suffered injuries. The Airbus A320neo aircraft later landed safely in Delhi.
ALSO READ | Inside The Cockpit: What Went Wrong On Air India's Phuket-Delhi Flight
"I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor," the pilot said in a flight safety statement.
"During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality," he said.
ALSO READ | 'Pilot Seemed High When We Were Boarding': Passenger On Phuket-Delhi Flight
He also said the roster duties, which he said were legally within the prescribed rest limits, were scheduled in a way that "compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery".
For the first flight, the pilot had to report for duty at 12:10 AM, which meant preparations needed to begin well before 10 PM - and getting good sleep before that was difficult.
After landing, finishing post-flight duties and getting to the hotel in Phuket usually took 1.5 to 2 hours, which cut further into the time available to rest during the day - often leaving less than what's needed to properly recover, he said.
For the second flight, he said he had to wake up at 3 AM IST.
Air India Pilot's Behaviour Under Probe
The Incident Report accessed by NDTV indicates that he was not in his seat, with the co-pilot in command of the aircraft when the flight plummeted 300 feet over Odisha.
Sources indicate that he then went to the cabin to check up on injuries and reportedly told passengers not to film him or the aircraft.
A staff member with an injured passenger on a stretcher
ALSO READ | Turbulence Or Something Else? Probe Widens In Air India 300-Foot Plunge Case
Upon landing in Delhi, sources said the pilot was unsteady on his feet and had to be helped to sit down.
The pilot was also physically helped by an investigating officer as he submitted his urine sample.
The Party In Phuket
During the flight from Delhi to Phuket, the pilot had gone to the washroom and, as per protocol, had called a cabin attendant to sit in his seat, sources said.
The attendant, sources said, was not good in handling the operation and was reprimanded by the pilot.
ALSO READ | 'We Thought We Would Die': Passenger Recalls Air India Turbulence Scare
Later, he wanted to make up and took all crew members to a party in Phuket before the return flight.
Both pilots have been off-rostered pending an inquiry.
