Report: Pilot Fails Drug Test After Midair Drop
17 people were injured when Air India flight abruptly dropped 300 feet
By Rob Quinn with Newser.AI Posted Aug 12, 2026 12:00 PM CDT
An Air India flight abruptly dipped midair last week, and it may have been because the pilot was too high. The captain has tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory lab test, a source tells Reuters. The Airbus A320neo dropped roughly 300 feet over India's eastern Odisha state last week, injuring 13 passengers and four crew members on the Phuket-to-Delhi route. India's Ministry of Civil Aviation said Sunday that the captain's initial screening for psychoactive substances produced a result that required lab confirmation.
On Monday, the ministry summoned Air India CEO Campbell Wilson over the incident and the ongoing safety probe. Wilson told TV channels the airline had updated officials on the investigation, but neither the ministry nor Air India publicly commented on the reported drug test result. The aircraft, with 137 passengers and eight crew aboard, landed safely in Delhi. Sources tell the Times of India that the captain was standing and leaning behind the co-pilot's seat at the time of the incident, and the co-pilot had to single-handedly steady the aircraft. Cabin crew members have filed a complaint over the captain's behavior, the Independent reports. He is expected to face criminal charges as well as disciplinary action from the airline.
