Air India flight lost hydraulics, pilot fired after drug test

NEW DELHI, Sep 4: An Air India flight that injured passengers when it plunged midair last month suffered a temporary loss of hydraulic systems, investigators said on Friday, as the airline fired the captain who tested positive for psychoactive substances.

The Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew, suddenly lost altitude on August 4 while flying from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi, injuring 24 people before stabilising and landing safely.
India's civil aviation ministry classified it as a "Serious Incident".

Both Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency, the BEA, said they are assisting the Indian investigation into the flight.

A preliminary report released on Friday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said the flight-control system detected the loss of three hydraulic systems for several seconds.�"AFP