AI Phuket-Delhi incident: AAIB urges against premature conclusions, Campbell Wilson meets MoCA

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Tuesday urged all concerned, including the media and public, not to draw conclusions from incomplete or unverified information as it investigates the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident that left 24 people injured.

AAIB examines 300-foot altitude variation

Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, experienced a sudden altitude variation of approximately 300 feet during cruise, before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Tuesday.

The aircraft, registration VT-EXO, was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members. The ministry said injuries were reported to 20 passengers and four cabin crew members.

The AAIB has taken up the investigation based on information received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the nature of the occurrence. Notifications have also been made to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and concerned states.

France's Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA), along with technical representatives from aircraft manufacturer Airbus, is providing technical assistance to the AAIB, including technical information and design documentation.

The investigation is examining the aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, operational and maintenance records, medical information and human-factor evidence, besides interviewing people concerned.

“All material evidence will be examined in its entirety before any conclusions are drawn,” the ministry said.

AAIB warns against premature conclusions

The investigation bureau stressed that its objective is to establish the circumstances and contributing factors behind the incident and identify safety measures to prevent a recurrence.

“The investigation is independent, evidence-based and comprehensive,” the PIB release said, adding that “no inference regarding the cause of the occurrence should be drawn” from any isolated piece of information while the probe remains underway.

The AAIB also asked the media and public to respect the investigation process and “refrain from drawing conclusions” based on incomplete, unverified or selectively available information.

Meanwhile, Air India's outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson met officials at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA in New Delhi on Tuesday amid heightened government scrutiny of the incident.

Pilot drug-test reports under scrutiny

Separately, reports of a psychoactive-substance screening involving the pilot-in-command have added another layer to the investigation.

The pilot's initial post-flight screening indicated the presence of a psychoactive substance, following which a confirmatory test was conducted. The confirmatory test has now reportedly returned positive, according to reports.

Both pilots operating the Phuket-Delhi flight have been taken off the airline's flying roster. The AAIB has appealed to the public and the media "to respect the investigation process and refrain from drawing conclusions on the basis of incomplete, unverified or selectively available information."

AAIB is also examining medical and human-factor evidence, alongside the aircraft's systems, recorded flight data, operational and maintenance records and other material.

There is no official finding linking the reported psychoactive-substance test result to the aircraft's 300-foot altitude variation. The AAIB has specifically cautioned that “no inference regarding the cause of the occurrence should be drawn” from any isolated piece of information while the investigation is underway.