Turbulence Or Something Else? Probe Widens In Air India 300-Foot Plunge Case

The circumstances surrounding the Phuket-Delhi Air India flight that encountered severe turbulence, leaving 17 including the crew and passengers injured, have brought up several bizarre and murky angles. While the incident involving an Airbus A-320 was initially blamed on turbulence, new reports suggest triple hydraulic failure may have caused a sudden altitude drop. Such an incident has never happened with the A-320.

The French planemaker has joined the investigation. "In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Airbus is providing technical assistance to the relevant investigating authorities. We are actively supporting the airline and will provide further information as it becomes available. A team of specialists is being dispatched to assist with the investigation," Airbus said in a statement today.

In a note by the Civil Aviation Ministry on the incident that happened while the plane was flying over Odisha, the word "turbulence" was missing.

Even after assuming the pilot did encounter a serious situation in the cockpit such as a triple hydraulic failure, it was inexplicable for the pilot to be seen in the back of the aircraft. Rule No. 1 in aviation is that you continue to fly in such a situation.

The biggest question, then, is if a pilot encounters something which would normally trigger a Mayday scenario, there is no reason for the pilot to be at the back of the aircraft despite knowing passengers could be injured.

➡️There are various aspects of the Phuket-Delhi Air India flight which are bizarre, if not downright murky.
➡️17 people - crew members and passengers were injured on the flight which was reported to have been caused by severe turbulence over Odisha.
➡️Some reports now suggest…

— Vishnu Som (@VishnuNDTV) August 10, 2026

Another key question is why did the pilot not land in the first available airport if the plane has just encountered a huge technical failure? Instead, the pilot decided to continue the flight to Delhi.

The pilot-in-command of the Tata-owned airline had also tested positive for psychoactive substances during the post-flight screening in Delhi. However, it is unlikely for a full-fledged commander of an Airbus aircraft in any airline to be irresponsible enough to get into recreational drug use before flying an aircraft, with the lives of over 100 people in his or her hands.

Also, failing the urine test does not necessarily mean the pilot used any kind of recreational substances. But if there is a consistent failure in the urine test, it may mean something. The results of the final tests are awaited.

Some drugs taken as part of prescription medication would remain in the bloodstream, though pilots cannot pop in pills just like that. They have to be cleared in certain cases by the airline's doctors.

Some of the 17 people who were injured in the Air India incident remain in hospital.