The government is set to expedite the preliminary report into the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident, with the report expected to be released in the next few days, top government sources told NDTV Profit.
Government sources said the preliminary report is being expedited and is expected within the next few days. Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, a preliminary report is generally expected within 30 days of an accident or serious incident.
The government's preliminary report is therefore expected to provide key details on the sequence of events surrounding the Phuket-Delhi flight, including the turbulence event and the circumstances under which the pilot was tested. The report will also be closely watched for its findings on the incident and whether any safety or operational recommendations emerge from the investigation.
The development comes after the pilot-in-command of the Air India flight that encountered severe turbulence earlier this month reportedly tested positive for a narcotic substance in a second drug test, according to sources.
The Air India A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 experienced a sudden altitude drop of around 300 feet amid severe turbulence, injuring 17 passengers. Following the incident, the pilot-in-command underwent confirmatory testing after an initial psychoactive substance screening indicated a result requiring further analysis.
The reported second-test result comes amid scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the incident and the flight crew's medical and safety protocols. However, aviation experts and the pilots' body have cautioned against drawing conclusions solely from an initial non-negative screening result.
Captain Sam Thomas, President of the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPAI), had earlier cautioned against interpreting an initial non-negative drug screening result as definitive evidence of substance abuse.
Thomas said the pilots' body has repeatedly sensitised pilots about the possibility of commonly used over-the-counter medicines and supplements triggering non-negative results in post-flight drug screening. According to Thomas, certain antihistamines commonly used for cold symptoms, as well as some medicines available without prescriptions, have been known to show up in drug tests.
He also highlighted the growing use of protein supplements and bodybuilding products among younger pilots, saying some such products have triggered false positives. Thomas stressed that a non-negative screening result needs to be followed by appropriate confirmatory testing before any conclusion is reached.
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