Pilot Removed After Testing Positive For Drugs, Fourth To Fail Dope Test This Year: DGCA

The procedure for examination of aviation personnel for consumption of drugs came into effect from January 31 this year.

The pilot was subjected to the drug test in the national capital

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Friday that a pilot of a prominent airline failed a drug test at Delhi airport and was removed from flight duty, PTI reported. He is the fourth pilot to fail a dope test since the procedure for examination of aviation personnel for consumption of drugs came into effect from January 31 this year.

Besides four pilots, one Air Traffic Controller (ATC) has tested positive for psychoactive substances. The drug test is done for the flight crew and ATCs on a random basis.

A senior DGCA official told PTI that the pilot's confirmatory drug test report came positive on August 23 and he was removed from flight duty. However, details about the airline to which the pilot belonged or the pilot were not revealed.

"A pilot of a prominent airline was subjected to a drug test at Delhi in accordance with CAR Section 5 Series F Part V. He has been found positive in the confirmatory test report received on 23.08.2022 and has been removed from the flight duty," DGCA said in a statement on Friday.

As per the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), if the result of the drug test is positive for the first time, the personnel concerned will be referred to a de-addiction centre. If the same personnel tests positive for the second time, then his or her licence will be suspended for a period of three years. And if the violation happens for the third time, then the personnel's licence will be cancelled.

The DGCA has also suspended the license of a helicopter pilot for a period of six months after he was involved in an incident while landing on an offshore platform. The helicopter had descended below the desired flight path during approach for landing on the helideck, IANS reported.

On August 20, the DGCA suspended the licence of the pilot-in-command (PIC) of a SpiceJet flight for six months after he ignored the co-pilot's suggestion onboard a Boeing B737 aircraft.

The development is related to the May 1 incident. A flight from Mumbai to Durgapur encountered severe turbulence during landing. The severe turbulence had resulted in injuries to nearly 14 passengers along with three crew members.

(With inputs from agencies)