Air India pilot removed from Zurich-Delhi flight before departure over ‘alcohol use’

An Air India pilot was reportedly removed from the plane just before its scheduled take-off after he was found to be under the influence of alcohol.

The flight was grounded and test was conducted on the pilot to check for sobriety which indicated blood alcohol content above the permissible limit, the Economic Times reported. Switzerland's aviation regulator began a probe into the incident which took place on September 6 and India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also been informed.

What Swiss authorities said

The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation confirmed that an action has been taken action against the pilot under Swiss regulations, the ET report added.

"As a result, flight AI 151 from Zurich to Delhi could not be operated as scheduled. The responsibility for further handling of this case lies with the DGCA as the competent authority of the state of the operator," a FOCA spokesperson was quoted as saying.

There was no official statement on the incident from Air India.

Ground staff informed the authorities

The incident unfolded when the ground staff at the Zurich Airport reportedly alerted the authorities after they noticed the pilot smelling of alcohol, leading to his removal from the plane just before departure, news agency PTI reported.

Pilots operating outbound flights from India are required to clear pre-flight drug and alcohol tests. The rule is not applicable on flights departing from foreign airports, where testing typically happens after landing.

This incident comes nearly a month after another Air India pilot, operating a Phuket to Delhi flight, landed in trouble over the use of ‘psycho-active substance’. The row began after the flight faced extreme turbulence and plunged nearly 300-feet and probe hinted at pilot's role in the major mid-air scare.

Air India's pilots under scanner

A preliminary report revealed that the pilot tested 'non-negative' for psycho-active substance in the confirmatory test.

On August 4, flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi dropped 300 feet in a sudden loss of altitude during cruise, injuring 20 passengers and four crew members.

An initial statement from Air India had cited turbulence as the reason. However, as per a report from the French aircraft manufacturer, the altitude loss was due to hydraulic pressure in the flight's Green, Blue, and Yellow hydraulic systems, resulting in a temporary loss of elevator and aileron control surfaces for about four seconds.

Based on the post-flight Centralised Fault Display System log seen by HT, at least nine warning messages appeared within a minute at 9.32am IST, when the aircraft had crossed the Odisha coast after flying over the Bay of Bengal.

Along with the low pressure in hydraulic systems, an autopilot disconnect and an elevator flight-control fault were also recorded.

Two emergency-exit door sensor warnings were then recorded at 9.33am and 9.35am, followed by an engine anti-ice fault at 10.16am, and another autopilot disconnect at 10.52am.

Sources close to the investigators also told HT that the pilot slept for at least 30 to 35 minutes during the flight.