{"id":22978,"date":"2026-08-16T13:15:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T07:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22978"},"modified":"2026-08-16T13:15:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T07:30:15","slug":"air-india-flights-sudden-altitude-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=22978","title":{"rendered":"Air India Flight\u2019s Sudden Altitude Loss<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dragon Media News Desk<\/strong><\/p>\n

An investigation into an Air India flight that suddenly lost around 300 feet, or 91 metres, of altitude while travelling from Phuket to Delhi is focusing both on the pilot\u2019s cannabis test and on a possible technical malfunction involving the aircraft.<\/p>\n

On August 4, Air India flight AI2379, operated by an Airbus A320, suddenly lost altitude while flying over Odisha, India. A total of 24 passengers and crew members were affected in India. A total of 24 passengers and crew members were affected in the incident. The aircraft later landed safely in Delhi.<\/p>\n

Following the incident, both pilots were removed from flying duties and underwent testing for psychoactive substances. After an initial screening, the captain\u2019s sample was sent to a laboratory for confirmatory analysis. Subsequent reports indicated that the confirmatory test returned a positive result associated with cannabis use. Air India, however, has not publicly released a detailed official conclusion regarding the test result.<\/p>\n

Importantly, no direct causal link has so far been established between the pilot\u2019s test result and the aircraft\u2019s sudden loss of altitude.<\/p>\n

Preliminary technical analysis by Airbus indicated that all three hydraulic systems on the aircraft temporarily lost pressure. As a result, the elevator and aileron controls, which are critical for controlling the aircraft\u2019s altitude and direction, reportedly failed to respond as expected for approximately four seconds.<\/p>\n

India\u2019s aircraft accident investigation authorities are examining the incident as a serious aviation occurrence. Investigators are assessing possible technical factors, maintenance history, flight data, crew actions and medical considerations.<\/p>\n

The case has also renewed attention on earlier research examining how long cannabis use may affect pilot performance.<\/p>\n

A controlled study conducted in 1976 involving 10 certified pilots found that their performance in a flight simulator deteriorated significantly 30 minutes after consuming marijuana. In some participants, impairment was observed for at least two hours.<\/p>\n

A 1985 study involving 10 experienced private pilots produced more concerning findings. Even 24 hours after consuming 19 milligrams of THC, some deficiencies remained in tasks related to aircraft landing. Significantly, the pilots themselves did not recognize the decline in their performance.<\/p>\n

Another study published in 1991 involved nine pilots who consumed 20 milligrams of THC. Most showed some degree of performance impairment even 24 hours later.<\/p>\n

These studies, however, involved small sample sizes and relied on flight simulators rather than real-world operations of modern commercial aircraft. Their findings therefore cannot be used to determine the direct cause of any specific aviation incident.<\/p>\n

A controlled study led by Thomas Marcotte at the University of California, San Diego, in 2022 involved 191 regular cannabis users. It found that THC consumption impaired simulated driving performance for several hours. On average, performance became comparable with the placebo group after around four and a half hours.<\/p>\n

Another important finding of that study was that blood THC concentration alone could not reliably determine the degree to which an individual\u2019s actual functional performance was impaired.<\/p>\n

Therefore, while a positive cannabis test involving an Air India pilot is a serious aviation safety concern, it cannot by itself be considered the cause of the aircraft\u2019s sudden altitude loss before the investigation is completed. Preliminary technical findings indicating an abnormality in the hydraulic systems remain an equally important part of the inquiry.<\/p>\n

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