An investigation into an August 4 incident involving an Air India Airbus A320 flight from Phuket to New Delhi has found that the plane suffered a temporary loss of hydraulic systems, causing it to plummet mid-air and injure 24 passengers. The pilot in command tested positive for psychoactive substances after the incident and has been fired by the airline. According to a preliminary report released on Friday, the flight-control system detected the loss of three hydraulic systems for several seconds, triggering a stall warning before recovery. Air India has now ordered mandatory one-time drug screening of all its pilots, following this and previous incidents that have plagued the airline's safety record.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Air India flight AI2379, which was traveling from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi on August 4, experienced a temporary loss of three hydraulic systems while flying over Indian airspace. The incident caused the plane to drop 292 feet in altitude, injuring 24 people out of the 137 passengers and 8 crew members on board. A preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that the autopilot disengaged and a stall warning was triggered for two seconds before the systems recovered. The pilots were also tested for psychoactive substances after the incident, with one pilot testing positive and subsequently being fired by Air India.
Written for “Air India Flight Incident” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 4238 · logged 2026-09-05
An Air India flight that injured passengers when it plunged midair last month suffered a temporary loss of hydraulic systems, investigators said on Friday, as the airline fired the captain who tested positive for psychoactive substances.
asserted
who → injure → substances
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 people before stabilising and landing safely.
asserted
A320 → carry → people
India’s civil aviation ministry classified it as a “serious incident”.
asserted
ministry → classify → incident
Both Airbus and France’s civil aviation safety agency, the BEA, said they are assisting the Indian investigation into the flight.
asserted
they → say → flight
A preliminary report released on Friday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said the flight-control system detected the loss of three hydraulic systems for several seconds.
asserted
system → release → seconds
“The aircraft encountered altitude upset,” it read.
asserted
it → encounter → altitude
“Initially, it gained 372 feet and fell by 292 feet.”
asserted
it → gain → feet
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 said.
asserted
report → cause → operation
The inquiry also said the pilot in command “was found non-negative for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test”.
asserted
pilot → say → test
“The confirmation of use of psycho-active substance is a serious concern,” the report read.
asserted
report → read → substance
A spokesperson for Air India said 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”.
asserted
pilot → say → requirements
Following the incident, India’s aviation ministry said the regulator was considering tighter screening rules for psychoactive substances.
asserted
regulator → follow → substances
Air India ordered a mandatory one-time drug screening of all of its pilots last month.
asserted
India → order → pilots
The investigation is the latest challenge for Air India, owned by India’s Tata Group, which has struggled to turn around the carrier following a series of setbacks.
asserted
which → own → setbacks
The airline has also been hit by flight disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East.
asserted
airline → hit → East
The biggest blow to the airline’s image came in June 2025, 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 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
asserted
Flight → come → ground
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.
asserted
chief → appoint → profitability
