Should commercial airliners be equipped with cockpit video cameras in aftermath of deadly Air India crash?
With questions swirling over whether one of the pilots cut off the fuel supply seconds after takeoff, some safety experts argue that video footage could have helped investigators reconstruct the final moments more definitively.
An initial analysis of the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the Air India flight that crashed last month seems to suggest that the younger co-pilot asked the captain why he had turned off the plane's fuel-supply switches, according to a US media report.
First officer Clive Kunder had the controls of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for take-off and at the time of the crash moments later outside Ahmedabad airport, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal citing sources in the investigation, and it was he who asked flight captain Sumeet Sabharwal why he had flipped the switches, starving the engines of fuel. The captain, according to the voice recorder, responded by saying that he did not.
It represents a potentially important new detail, emerging several days after a preliminary official report in the crash revealed only that the brief interaction had taken place, without naming who said what or quoting them directly.
Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association and a former pilot himself, said this week there is now a strong case for cockpit video cameras to be installed to complement existing flight data and voice recorders.
Aviation experts have said a preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) raised questions over whether one of the pilots of Air India flight 171 cut off fuel to the Boeing 787's engines seconds after takeoff, leading to an irrecoverable situation.
As of now, 'based on what little we know now, it's quite possible that a video recording, in addition to the voice recording, would significantly assist the investigators in conducting that investigation on the issue of mental health,' Walsh said.
Advocates for cockpit video cameras say the footage could fill in gaps left by the audio and data recorders, while opponents say concerns about privacy and misuse outweigh what they argue are marginal benefits for investigations.
Video footage was 'invaluable' to Australian crash investigators determining what led to the Robinson R66 helicopter breaking up in mid-air in 2023, killing the pilot, the only person aboard, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau 's final report, which was released 18 days after the Air India crash.
The video showed 'the pilot was occupied with non-flying related tasks for much of this time, specifically, mobile phone use and the consumption of food and beverages,' the report said.
The ATSB commended Robinson Helicopters for providing factory-installed cameras and said it encouraged other manufacturers and owners to consider the ongoing safety benefits of similar devices.
In 2000, US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Jim Hall urged the Federal Aviation Administration to require commercial airliners to be equipped with cockpit image recorders.
Hall's recommendation came in the wake of 1999's Egyptair Flight 990 crash, when the first officer intentionally crashed the Boeing 767, according to the NTSB, killing all 217 people on board.
'In the balance between privacy and safety, the scale tips toward safety, unequivocally,' air safety expert and former commercial airline pilot John Nance said. 'Protecting the flying public is a sacred obligation.'
Another aviation safety expert, Anthony Brickhouse, said that as an accident investigator, he is in favour of cockpit video, but acknowledged that commercial pilots have real concerns.
Video on Air India flight 171 'would have answered lots of questions', he said.
Air India declined to comment. India's AAIB, which is expected to release a final report within a year of the crash under international rules, did not reply to a request for comment.
Pilot objections:
US pilots' unions such as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA) say the voice and data recorders already provide enough information to determine the cause of a crash and that the cameras would be an invasion of privacy and could be misused.
Calls for cockpit cameras are an understandable reaction to 'the stress of not knowing what happened immediately after an accident,' said APA spokesperson Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines pilot.
'I can understand the initial reaction of the more information, the better,' but investigators already have enough data to adequately determine an accident's cause, leaving no need for cameras, he said.
To make flying safer, current safety systems should be enhanced to record higher-quality data, rather than adding video cameras, an ALPA spokesperson said.
There are also concerns that the footage could be used by airlines for disciplinary actions or that the video could be leaked to the public after a crash, said John Cox, an aviation safety expert, retired airline pilot and former ALPA executive air safety chairman.
A pilot's death being broadcast on 'the 6 o'clock news is not something that the pilot's family should ever have to go through', he said.
If confidentiality can be assured around the world, 'I can see an argument' for installing cameras, Cox said.
Cockpit voice recordings are typically kept confidential by investigators in favour of partial or full transcripts being released in final reports.
Despite that, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations said it was sceptical that confidentiality could ever be assured for cockpit videos.
'Given the high demand for sensational pictures, IFALPA has absolutely no doubt that the protection of (airborne image recorder) data, which can include identifiable images of flight crewmembers, would not be ensured either,' the organisation said in a statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
8 minutes ago
- Reuters
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists accused of subversion
HONG KONG, July 25 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's national security police announced arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the "Hong Kong Parliament", a group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say aimed to subvert state power, under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial "Hong Kong Parliament" group, which authorities say aims at achieving self-determination and drafting a "Hong Kong constitution". Police, who said the organisation sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means, said they are still investigating and further arrests may follow. Among those named are businessman Elmer Yuen, commentator Victor Ho, and activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. Four of them are subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,000). Among the remaining 15, for each of whom police are offering a bounty of HK$200,000 ($25,480), are those said to have organised or run in the election and sworn in as its councillors. None of the accused could be reached for comment. The UK's Foreign and Home Secretaries condemned the move in a joint statement, calling the arrests "another example of transnational repression" and saying it damages Hong Kong's international reputation. "(The UK) will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas," it said in a statement on Friday. In response, the Chinese embassy in the UK said the British government's remarks "constitute a gross interference" in China's internal affairs and the rule of law in Hong Kong. "China urges the UK to abandon its colonial mentality, stop interfering in Hong Kong shielding criminals," it said. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a "one country, two systems" formula. Critics of the national security law say authorities are using it to stifle dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law was vital to restore stability after the city was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019. Police reiterated that national security offenses were serious crimes with extraterritorial reach and urged the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender. "If offenders voluntarily give up continuing to violate the crime, turn themselves in, truthfully confess their crimes, or provide key information that helps solve other cases, they may be eligible for reduced punishment," they said in a statement. Police also warned that aiding, abetting, or funding others to participate in the "Hong Kong Parliament" could be a criminal offense. ($1=7.8488 Hong Kong dollars)
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Two Southwest flight attendants injured after jet dives to avoid collision
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - Two flight attendants on a Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab flight departing Burbank, California, were injured on Friday after pilots took evasive action to dodge another aircraft on takeoff, the airline said. Southwest Flight 1496 sharply descended nearly 500 feet, according to flight tracking websites, marking the second time in a week that a U.S. commercial jet was forced to make abrupt flight maneuvers to avoid a potential mid-air collision. The airline and the Federal Aviation Administration said the Southwest pilots took action after receiving cockpit alerts of other aircraft traffic being dangerously close. The Southwest Boeing 737 continued on to Las Vegas, where it landed uneventfully. The aircraft that the Southwest flight avoided was not immediately identified. The FAA was investigating. Two flight attendants were treated for injuries, the airline said, without providing detail. No injuries were immediately reported by passengers, according to Southwest. But one passenger told Fox News Digital the sharp descent stirred panic onboard. "It was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash," Caitlin Burdi said in an on-camera interview. After the incident, "the pilot came on (the intercom), and he told us we almost collided with another plane." According to a statement from Southwest, the incident began when its crew responded to "two onboard traffic alerts" while taking off from the Hollywood Burbank Airport north of Los Angeles, "requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts." In a separate incident one week ago, a SkyWest Airlines (SKYW.O), opens new tab jet operating as a Delta Connection (DAL.N), opens new tab flight from Minneapolis reported taking evasive action to avoid a possible collision with a U.S. Air Force bomber during a landing approach over North Dakota on July 18. The FAA said on Monday it was investigating last Friday's near-miss incident involving SkyWest Flight 3788, an Embraer ( opens new tab ERJ-175 regional jet, which landed safely at Minot, North Dakota. The Air Force confirmed a B-52 jet bomber assigned to Minot Air Force Base had conducted a ceremonial flyover of the North Dakota State Fair last Friday around the time of the SkyWest incident. The Air Force said the bomber cockpit crew was in contact with local air traffic control before, during and after the flyover, and that the Minot International Airport control tower "did not advise of the inbound commercial aircraft" as the B-52 was departing the area. The incident remains under FAA investigation, the Air Force said.
The Review Geek
3 hours ago
- The Review Geek
S Line – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap, Review & Ending Explained
S Line S Line Episode 6 brings us to a café where a woman receives an intimate video. When she attends her university class, it's obvious that she's today's hot topic. At home under her duvet, she cries, continuing to receive threatening texts. That evening, she attempts to walk into traffic, but Kyu Jin stops her. Before leaving, Kyu Jin innocently presents her the glasses. Zip to Hyun Heup, who waits at the bus stop for Jun Seon. She asks him for a favor that lands them in a hotel room. Afterwards, she sees the S Line connected between them. Walking toward the bus, he suddenly runs off to get them some snacks. While she waits, Hyun Heup notices her new S Line disappear and turns towards an uproar in the area. It's Jun Seon with what looks like metal rods sticking out of his back. Thinking of herself as cursed, she sees another person who is close to her die. Next, Hyun Heup checks a video message of her school friend tied up, along with a Happy 17th message and an invitation to the 'room of boundaries.' She calls Detective Han for help. READ MORE: K-drama reviews In the car together, Han is still thinking about Seon-a's horrible S Line. Hyun Heup disrupts him to explain that someone has been counting down to her 17th birthday and that something is required of her. She shows him the texts. Han starts putting the pieces together – how she was lured to the school, how he acquired the glasses, etc. Could it be the same person? Han notes that her teacher, Kyu Jin, doesn't exist. Together, they race into the school building toward the lit classroom. Hyun Heup finds her friend, who says she came to meet Hyun Heup. The girls race out to find Han, but every time they take the stairs, they return to the same floor again. Han heads up to the roof and hearing a door, the girls do too. But they're not in the same place. Han approaches a group of people, one remarking how lucky she was to have met her. She remembers their conversation where Kyu Jin asked if she still wanted to die or would rather kill. The woman testifies that with the glasses, she found a new purpose in life, getting rid of a line every time she kills someone else. She uncovers a man, raising her knife, ready to sever her last sin and be reborn. On Han's roof, he sees Kyu Jin approach with millions of red lines from her head. When she spots him, she uncovers Han's father, who's tied and covered in blood. Handing Han a blade, she wonders whether he wants to save Seon-a. Han turns the knife on her, but she easily takes it from him, stabbing Han's father instead. When he shoots at her, the bullets deflect as she continues to walk toward him, grabbing him by the neck. On their own roof, Hyun Heup tries to explain what's happening, but then see that Gyeong Jin is wearing the glasses. Gyeong Jin tries to strangle Hyun Heup, but when they tussle, Hyun Heup smashes the glasses and Gyeong Jin returns to her senses. She notices that Hyun Heup's eye color has changed. Drops of blood distract Hyun Heup and she finds herself among the crowd surrounding Kyu Jin, who tells her that her ability to see S Lines from birth is a blessing. The crowd removes their glasses, surrounding Hyun Heup. Kyu Jin raises a long sword, ready to slash. But Hyun Heup's mother steps in front, protecting her daughter and falling to the ground instead. Her mother admits that she had the glasses too, that it wasn't Hyun Heup's fault. Getting up from her mother, Hyun Heup runs at Kyu Jin, straight into her sword, but Hyun Heup's blood floats away in droplets. Soon she rises too, lines bursting out of her and pulling her toward a ball of red. After a few moments, she's gently lowered to the ground as the ball comes for them. As Kyu Jin watches, Hyun Heup stabs her. But she says it's too late – they've already done what they came to do. The crowd begins to scream and run as all the glasses are lost, including Han's. And suddenly Han, Hyun Heup and Gyeong Jin are on the roof together. He reaches for his glasses, but they fall. While in the streets, people stare at the red night sky. And everyone can see everyone's red lines. On a new day on the subway, everyone wears glasses and Hyun Heup talks of finally being normal. Seon-a awoke from her coma and was reborn without an S Line. And as for the rest, Hyun Heup is alone again. She visits Jun Seon's grave and hears someone calling her name – it's Kyu Jin. Ending Explained Who is Kyu Jin? Someone working toward a 'rebirth' where every person can see S Lines. It's got the trappings of a cult with some supernatural thrown in. How is Hyun Heup involved? Kyu Jin believes Hyun Heup's blood will trigger the rebirth, giving everyone the ability to see S Lines and some people the ability to cleanse their S Lines. How does Seon-a wake from her coma? Possibly as a result of the rebirth. She's reborn without her non-consensual S Line and seems a lot happier. What happens to Han's father? Although Han tries to save him, Kyu Jin kills him with a stab to the throat. What happens to Hyun Heup's friends? Jun Seon dies in what looks like an accident, but was probably helped along by Kyu Jin in an effort to get to Hyun Heup. Meanwhile, Gyeong Jin survives, but we don't see what happens to her – just that Hyun Heup is alone again at the end. What happens to Detective Han? It looks like he goes back to being himself after all the drama. He does seem to be more protective of his niece and they also have a better relationship. The Episode Review Well, that was unexpected. While I've loved the creativity and incessantness of this drama, I was a little disappointed with this final episode. Yes, this is based on a webtoon and the supernatural is part of the narrative, yet I felt like they were getting to a real revelation then gave up and went paranormal to quickly wrap things up. There's a fantastic story of competitiveness, greed, revenge and superiority complex here. Up until episode 6, I was absolutely loving it. Even the cult was interesting, with people sucked into the possibility of rebirth and renewed purity. I would have been more interested in a human using the S Lines for selfish purposes – turning people's greed on themselves. Even with this ending, many of our favorites survived. Now that everyone can see S Lines, do you think it changes anyone's behavior? Or how they judge others? Anybody love the finale of S Line? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Previous Episode Full Season Review READ MORE: K-drama reviews
