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Plane Crashes

Air India Says 24 Injured After A320 Dropped About 300 Feet After Takeoff From Phuket

India's aviation ministry said it is awaiting drug test results for the captain of the August 4 flight; the investigation is open and the cause has not been determined.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 12, 2026, 7:53 a.m. ETWritten Aug 12, 2026, 8:46 a.m. ET
An dropped about 300 feet (90 meters) suddenly in midair after from , , on August 4, 2026, injuring passengers and crew, according to reporting by the Economic Times. The aircraft later stabilized and landed safely in New Delhi. The flight was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members, the Economic Times reported. The event remains under investigation and details may change. The cause has not been determined. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting an independent investigation, reviewing flight data, aircraft systems, maintenance and operational records and medical information, and conducting interviews, with France's BEA and Airbus assisting, according to the Economic Times. On Wednesday, August 12, India's aviation ministry said it was awaiting drug test results for the captain, the Economic Times reported. Local media reported that the captain may have tested positive for marijuana in a follow-up drug screening, according to the same report; that account has not been confirmed by an authority, and no finding has been made about what caused the aircraft's descent. Both pilots have been removed from flying duties pending the inquiry. The aircraft involved has not been identified. Registry records list 111 aircraft under , of which 82 match the reported type, an ; those records describe the operator's fleet and are not an identification of the aircraft in this event. The investigation by the AAIB, with the BEA and Airbus assisting, is continuing.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
522 ft
Nearest aerodrome
6.6 miles SSW of Phuket Airpark (VTSW)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 112 Aug 2026, 12:46current

    First published.

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