Air India flight had 11 warnings in 2 minutes before 300-ft drop

The Story in Brief

An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that dropped 300 feet on August 4 received 11 warning signals in just 2-3 minutes, according to a post-flight maintenance report accessed by Times Now. The warnings included failures across all three hydraulic circuits, autopilot disconnection, flight control errors and emergency door alerts. The pilot-in-command later tested positive for cannabis in a confirmatory dope test and was taken off the roster, though sources say he was not at the controls when the drop occurred.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has summoned the crew for questioning. The pilot told investigators he had not slept adequately and had taken prescribed medication for sleep difficulties, and that he was standing behind the first officer's seat when hydraulic failures triggered a stall warning. At least 17 people were injured. Air India first attributed the incident to turbulence but later dropped that term. The airline says there were no serious injuries.