New Delhi, August 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior aviation officials on Tuesday questioned Air India CEO Campbell Wilson over last week’s serious mid-air turbulence incident involving the airline’s Phuket-Delhi flight, which abruptly lost around 300 feet in altitude at 36,000 feet and left 17 people seriously injured, sources said.
Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Director General Vir Vikram Yadav and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Director General G.V.G. Yugandhar.
Wilson was accompanied by Tata Sons Chairman’s Executive Advisor and former Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola and Air India Head of Flight Safety Deepak Joshi.
The Civil Aviation Ministry had summoned the airline officials for a detailed explanation of the August 4 incident involving Air India flight AI2379, operated by an Airbus A320neo aircraft bearing registration VT-EXO, while flying from Phuket in Thailand to Delhi.
According to sources, the aircraft also experienced technical issues during the flight, including hydraulic system failures and an autopilot disconnect.
The AAIB has classified the episode as a serious incident and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s sudden altitude change, the flight crew’s response and any possible technical factors.
The aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been secured and are being examined. Their analysis is expected to help investigators reconstruct the sequence of events and determine the role, if any, played by aircraft systems, warnings or technical malfunctions.
Airbus, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) will assist in the investigation. Such technical support by aircraft manufacturers is provided under the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 13 framework.
Meanwhile, the DGCA has removed both pilots from the flying roster pending the investigation. The pilots also underwent post-flight screening for psychoactive substances after reaching Delhi.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said the initial screening of the pilot-in-command was “not negative” and that the sample had been sent for confirmatory testing. Further action will depend on the investigation findings and the outcome of the confirmatory test.
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