Air India Pilot Tests Positive for Marijuana After Flight Altitude Drop
An Abrupt Drop Over Odisha
On August 11, 2026, the captain of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test. The incident involved an Airbus A320neo carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members.
The sequence of events began last week when the flight experienced a sudden altitude loss of about 300 feet while flying over the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Government officials described the occurrence as a “momentary altitude variation.” The aircraft eventually landed safely in Delhi, but the episode resulted in injuries to 13 passengers and four crew members. Following the flight, initial screening of the captain for psychoactive substances produced results that required confirmatory laboratory testing. That subsequent confirmatory test returned positive for marijuana.
Ministry Summons Air India Leadership
In response to the safety breach and the developing investigation, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation summoned Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on August 11, 2026. Wilson told news channels that the airline had briefed the ministry on the status of the investigation into the incident. Air India and the ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding the positive drug test results. The airline itself is majority-owned by the Tata Group, with Singapore Airlines holding a roughly 25% stake.
Probes Into Mechanical and Human Factors
Airbus has joined the probe into the flight’s abrupt altitude loss. Aviation authorities in India opened formal inquiries into the incident days after the aircraft touched down in Delhi.