New Delhi releases preliminary report on Air India crash
The UK-bound plane carrying 242 people crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad, India shortly after takeoff on June 12. Only one person on board survived. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed.
According to the report released on Saturday, cockpit switches controlling the fuel supply were moved to the 'cut off' position seconds after takeoff, shutting off fuel to both engines.
The report states that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking why the fuel switch was cut off. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report says, noting that seconds after the exchange, the plane began losing altitude.
One engine restarted when the switches were turned back on, but the plane continued to descend, and one of the pilots issued a Mayday call. The plane was airborne for only 32 seconds and traveled 0.9 nautical miles before it crashed.
The report does not state whether the switches were manually or accidentally flipped. It does not attribute the remarks it mentions to either the captain or first officer, nor does it identify who issued the distress call.
The investigators have ruled out fuel quality issues, overloading, bird strikes, and the presence of hazardous cargo. All systems were reportedly normal at takeoff. The report does not currently recommend action against Boeing, which built the aircraft, or General Electric, the engine manufacturer. Both companies, along with the US Federal Aviation Administration and UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, are involved in the ongoing investigation.
Commenting on the report, Indian Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu urged the public to not 'jump to conclusions,' stressing that it is based on early findings and 'many technicalities' remain unresolved. Air India acknowledged the report in a statement on X and said it is cooperating with the authorities, but declined further comment.
Experts earlier cited potential crew error, mechanical failure, or incorrect takeoff settings as possible causes of the tragedy. Following the crash, India's aviation regulator ordered safety checks on all Air India Dreamliners.
Boeing has faced growing scrutiny over safety issues in recent years. Its 737 MAX plane was grounded around the world from 2019 to 2020 following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.
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Russia Today
21-07-2025
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Western media hit with legal action over Air India crash coverage
The Federation of Indian Pilots has filed a legal notice against the Wall Street Journal and Reuters over their coverage of last month's deadly Air India crash, the group's head, Captain MR Wadia, has told RT. He called the reports 'irresponsible' and said they damaged the pilots' reputations for suggesting crew error. The UK-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff on June 12, killing 241 of 242 people onboard and 19 people on the ground. A preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that cockpit fuel switches had been switched off seconds after takeoff, which shut down both engines. The reason for the fuel switches being moved remains unclear. The pilot body accused the Western media – particularly the WSJ and Reuters – of misrepresenting the findings and blaming the crew. Let's Talk Facts! #AirIndiaCrashFederation of Indian Pilots President - Captain MR Wadia - explains why Boeing systems might be at fault for the tragedy in Ahmedabad. But... he STRESSES he isn't making a statement or placing BLAME until the evidence is Western… from day one… there were Western media people in captain's uniforms saying, 'we know exactly what happened', 'we know exactly that the pilot made a mistake',' Wadia told RT on Saturday. He added there were multiple 'insinuations' suggesting pilot error from the outlets. 'These are totally irresponsible, irrational and illogical statements... to blame the pilots when we know for a fact that the pilots have done a wonderful job,' Wadia added. 'That prompted us to give a notice to the Western media… that please resort to facts only and not to conjecture.' A legal notice is a formal warning that often precedes a lawsuit. Asked why such reporting occurred, Wadia responded: 'It's just one word – finance.' 'Suppose it is found that Boeing is at fault for faulty equipment and that is what caused the crash… Therefore, they have tried to lay the foundation from the very next day that the fault of the accident is the pilots,' he said. While the AAIB report does not blame Boeing for the crash, India's aviation regulator has ordered fuel system checks on all domestic aircraft made by the US firm. Wadia declined to speculate on why the switches were turned off, saying only that further analysis is needed. However, he urged the Western media not to assign blame while the probe is ongoing.
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Preliminary report on Air India Boeing crash released
Last month's Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash was caused by the fuel supply to the engines being shut off, a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has found. The UK-bound plane carrying 242 people crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad, India shortly after takeoff on June 12. Only one person on board survived. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed. According to the report released on Saturday, cockpit switches controlling the fuel supply were moved to the 'cut off' position seconds after takeoff, shutting off fuel to both engines. The report states that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking why the fuel switch was cut off. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report says, noting that seconds after the exchange, the plane began losing altitude. One engine restarted when the switches were turned back on, but the plane continued to descend, and one of the pilots issued a Mayday call. The plane was airborne for only 32 seconds and traveled 0.9 nautical miles before it crashed. The report does not state whether the switches were manually or accidentally flipped. It does not attribute the remarks it mentions to either the captain or first officer, nor does it identify who issued the distress call. The investigators have ruled out fuel quality issues, overloading, bird strikes, and the presence of hazardous cargo. All systems were reportedly normal at takeoff. The report does not currently recommend action against Boeing, which built the aircraft, or General Electric, the engine manufacturer. Both companies, along with the US Federal Aviation Administration and UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, are involved in the ongoing investigation. Commenting on the report, Indian Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu urged the public to not 'jump to conclusions,' stressing that it is based on early findings and 'many technicalities' remain unresolved. Air India acknowledged the report in a statement on X and said it is cooperating with the authorities, but declined further comment. Experts earlier cited potential crew error, mechanical failure, or incorrect takeoff settings as possible causes of the tragedy. Following the crash, India's aviation regulator ordered safety checks on all Air India Dreamliners. Boeing has faced growing scrutiny over safety issues in recent years. Its 737 MAX plane was grounded around the world from 2019 to 2020 following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.
Russia Today
12-07-2025
- Russia Today
New Delhi releases preliminary report on Air India crash
Last month's Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash was caused by the fuel supply to the engines being shut off, a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has found. The UK-bound plane carrying 242 people crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad, India shortly after takeoff on June 12. Only one person on board survived. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed. According to the report released on Saturday, cockpit switches controlling the fuel supply were moved to the 'cut off' position seconds after takeoff, shutting off fuel to both engines. The report states that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking why the fuel switch was cut off. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report says, noting that seconds after the exchange, the plane began losing altitude. One engine restarted when the switches were turned back on, but the plane continued to descend, and one of the pilots issued a Mayday call. The plane was airborne for only 32 seconds and traveled 0.9 nautical miles before it crashed. The report does not state whether the switches were manually or accidentally flipped. It does not attribute the remarks it mentions to either the captain or first officer, nor does it identify who issued the distress call. The investigators have ruled out fuel quality issues, overloading, bird strikes, and the presence of hazardous cargo. All systems were reportedly normal at takeoff. The report does not currently recommend action against Boeing, which built the aircraft, or General Electric, the engine manufacturer. Both companies, along with the US Federal Aviation Administration and UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, are involved in the ongoing investigation. Commenting on the report, Indian Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu urged the public to not 'jump to conclusions,' stressing that it is based on early findings and 'many technicalities' remain unresolved. Air India acknowledged the report in a statement on X and said it is cooperating with the authorities, but declined further comment. Experts earlier cited potential crew error, mechanical failure, or incorrect takeoff settings as possible causes of the tragedy. Following the crash, India's aviation regulator ordered safety checks on all Air India Dreamliners. Boeing has faced growing scrutiny over safety issues in recent years. Its 737 MAX plane was grounded around the world from 2019 to 2020 following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.
