Final report of AI plane crash should be definitive
This is a vital piece of evidence, as it essentially indicates that both engines stopped receiving fuel in rapid succession, leading to a total loss of thrust. However, the report stops short of explaining why this happened. Did the transition occur due to manual pilot input or a mechanical failure? This critical question remains unanswered, leaving a major gap in understanding the sequence of events that led to the crash. The report rules out a range of common contributing factors such as adverse weather conditions, bird strikes, incorrect aircraft configuration, contaminated fuel, and pre-existing issues with the engines that were known earlier on. This narrows the potential causes to a few possibilities, but without pinpointing whether human error or technical malfunction was responsible for the fuel cutoff, the report leaves a crucial ambiguity unresolved. The response of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) India to the preliminary report has only served to deepen skepticism. ALPA has publicly criticised the findings, stating that the report hints at 'the guilt of pilots.' This response reflects a broader concern within the aviation community: that the preliminary report, while ostensibly factual, may contain implications that are neither proven nor fair.
In the absence of definitive evidence, implying pilot culpability—whether through omission or ambiguity—will not only damage reputations but also derail the broader safety learning that should be the primary outcome of any such investigation. It is essential that investigations focus on establishing fact-based causes and not stray into speculative territory. Aviation safety experts have also pointed out that investigations should aim not just at identifying the causes and those responsible but at preventing future occurrences. From this perspective, the preliminary report would have been more helpful had it provided a clearer roadmap of the investigative steps ahead, especially regarding the analysis of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), and the potential examination of the aircraft's electronic and mechanical systems. What remains now is the hope that the final report will bring greater clarity, accountability, and closure. For the families of the victims, the aviation industry, and the traveling public, the credibility of the AAIB's conclusions is of utmost importance. A transparent, technically sound, and impartial investigation is a sine qua non of institutional responsibility.
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39 minutes ago
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Ahmedabad crash report found ‘no mechanical or maintenance issues' with aircraft: Air India CEO
The preliminary report released on Saturday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on the Ahmedabad plane crash did not find any mechanical or maintenance issues with the Boeing aircraft or its engines, The Hindu quoted Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson as saying. In an internal communication to Air India employees, Wilson said that every Boeing 787 aircraft in the airline's fleet was checked within days of the June 12 crash and all were found fit for service. 'We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest,' the newspaper quoted him as saying. The plane crash on June 12 killed at least 275 persons and was said to be the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. In its preliminary report released on Saturday, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that moments after the aircraft took off, its fuel control switches transitioned from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within a second of each other, because of which both engines shut down. The report said that one of the pilots could be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he shut down the fuel, in response to which the other pilot said that he did not. After a gap of about 10 seconds, the switches went back to the 'RUN' position, in what appeared to be an attempt by the pilots to regain thrust in the engines. Subsequently, one of the engines progressed to recovery and deceleration stopped. But deceleration could not be stopped on the second engine. The flight lasted for about 30 seconds from the lift-off to the crash, said the report. In the internal communication, Wilson said that the report 'provided both greater clarity' and 'opened additional questions'. He also advised employees not to focus on the 'ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines'. 'I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,' he said. He assured that the airline would cooperate with the investigation process to ensure a 'thorough and comprehensive enquiry', The Indian Express reported. Wilson added that there was 'no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll' and that the 'pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status'. Air India's top priorities continue to be 'standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world', he said. On June 12, Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which was en route to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad, crashed just 33 seconds after taking off. There were 242 people aboard the aircraft. One passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. Thirty-four persons were also killed on the ground after the plane crashed into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, according to Air India. DGCA orders fuel switches checks The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Monday directed all domestic airlines operating Boeing aircraft to inspect key fuel control switch mechanisms on their fleets by July 21, CNBC-TV 18 reported. 'Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations,' the order added. The aviation watchdog's order cited a 2018 United States Federal Aviation Administration advisory that warned of a fuel switch malfunction on certain aircraft manufactured by Boeing. DGCA orders all airline operators to carry out inspection of the fuel control switch for disengagement of lock no later than 21st July 2025. This is as per the FAA order of December 2018. For 737s, 787s and others — Jagriti Chandra (@jagritichandra) July 14, 2025 On Saturday, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways had also ordered its pilots to ' exercise caution ' while operating the fuel control switches on Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet, while also ordering an inspection of their locking mechanism, The Hindu reported. The directive had advised pilots to ensure that no objects were placed on the pedestal that could cause any inadvertent movement.
Mint
3 hours ago
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Air India CEO says crash probe raises more questions, premature to jump to any conclusion
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The preliminary report into the crash of Air India flight AI171 last month has raised more questions, the airline's CEO said as he defended the fitness of pilots and aircraft saying no mechanical or maintenance issues have been flagged in the report. Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said the probe into the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, which killed all but one of the 242 onboard and 19 others on ground, was far from over and it is unwise to jump to any premature conclusions. "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions," he said in an internal memo to airline staff. He said there were no issues with fuel quality or takeoff roll and that the pilots had passed mandatory pre-fight breathalyser tests. Amid speculation in various quarters about the reasons for the fatal crash that killed 260 people on June 12, the Air India chief said the preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations and urged everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday released its preliminary report on the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane. The aircraft, which was operating the flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a building soon after takeoff. In a message to Air India staff, Wilson said "the release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions". He noted that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed. "There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the takeoff roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status," he said. Further, Wilson said out of an abundance of caution and under the oversight of regulator DGCA, every Boeing 787 aircraft operating in our fleet was checked within days of the accident and all were found fit for service. "We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest," he added. The airline, he said, will continue to co-operate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive enquiry. Over the past 30 days, he said there has been an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines, many of which have later been disproven. "Until a final report or cause is tabled, there will no doubt be new rounds of speculation and more sensational headlines... Let us not be diverted from what are our top priorities: standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world," Wilson said. He also stressed that the airline must remain focused on its task and be true to the values of integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation, and teamwork. The AAIB report said the fuel supply to both engines of flight AI171 was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to the ground almost immediately after taking off. The 15-page report also said in the cockpit voice recording, an unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied. On Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the crew of the AI171 flight that crashed last month acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions, and the pilots should not be vilified based on conjecture. Former AAIB chief Aurobindo Handa, on Sunday, said it will be too premature to draw conclusions on the role of pilots from the preliminary investigation report into the fatal crash of the Air India plane last month and the final report will mention about the most probable cause for the accident.
Mint
4 hours ago
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AI plane crash: Fuel switches cut off due to human error, claims aviation expert
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) It was human error that led to the fuel switches being cut off before Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane crashed in Ahmedabad last month, and there also should have been more transparency in the AAIB's preliminary report on the accident, aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan said on Monday. His comments come at a time when the pilots' associations have flagged concerns about speculations of possible pilot error for the AI 171 flight crash that killed 260 people on June 12. On Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the crew of the flight acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions, and the pilots should not be vilified based on conjecture. Citing the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report, Ranganathan, also a former airline instructor pilot, said the first fuel switch failed, and one second later, the second fuel switch failed before the plane crashed. "The switches do not move back because of an electric power failure. The switch does not slide back and one has to pull it out of the slot, then move it to run or cutoff is not something which automatically happens, it must be manually done," he said. "It is a human error," Ranganathan claimed. AAIB, in its preliminary report on the Boeing 787-8 crash released on Saturday, said the fuel supply to both engines of the plane was cut off within a gap of one second, causing confusion in the cockpit soon after takeoff. "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. On whether it is not too premature to make a conclusion, Ranganathan noted that AAIB did not give basic data from the cockpit voice recorder and when someone says "it is too premature, you know that the engine fuel switches do not move automatically. They have to be selected manually. On the possibility of mechanical or software issues in the aircraft, Ranganathan said representatives of US NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), Boeing, GE and others were involved in the investigation. If there were mechanical issues or a software issue, an emergency alert would have been issued, and nothing has come up; it is very clear that there is no mechanical or software issue. While mentioning that there should have been more transparency in the report, he claimed that the AAIB has left it open for different kinds of interpretations. "We don't even know what is the rest of the conversation in the cockpit when the engines failed, when the fuel switch (was cut off)..., the crucial part of take off, engine failure, what action they (pilots) took, what were the conversations and alarms, these are very important (but) that is not there at all," Ranganathan said. ICPA, which represents narrow-body pilots of Air India, on Sunday said it was deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse, particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide. "There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage, and invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible -- it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved," it had said in a statement. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, on Saturday, said one should not jump to any conclusions on the role of pilots in the Air India plane crash, and there are multiple things that need to be looked into before preparing the final investigation report.
