Air India crash report leaves more questions than answers
The report included a cockpit transcript where pilots discussed who turned off the fuel, with one denying it, and experts state it is not easy to accidentally cut off fuel switches.
The London Gatwick -bound flight crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and approximately 19 on the ground.
Despite the fuel switches being returned to normal and engines attempting to recover, both had lost thrust, causing the plane to come down in a residential area.
Victims' families are seeking justice and answers, expressing deep concerns about the findings and calling for full transparency and accountability in the ongoing investigation.
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Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Air India crash mystery in full - medical record probe to chilling fuel theory
A preliminary report into the tragic Air India 171 crash that killed 260 people has sparked fury from grieving families and pilots alike, as it raises more questions than it does answers Families grieving the victims of the Air India plane crash have been left with more questions than answers after the official investigation into the disaster sparked a furious backlash. The preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, found that both fuel cutoff switches were flipped shortly after takeoff, shutting down the jet's engines. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a crowded neighbourhood just minutes after it took off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, exploding into a fireball and killing 241 passengers, as well as 19 people on the ground. Only one man - British-Indian passenger Vishwashkumar Ramesh - survived the horror. While the report doesn't place blame the pilots for the disaster, aviation experts have pointed out that flipping the fuel cutoff switch has to be done manually. But unfounded speculation swirling online about a potential pilot suicide has sparked anger from one pilot association who insist the crew acted in line with their training should not be vilified. Those mourning the loss of loved ones killed in the crash last month have also slammed the report, stating they are still yet to find closure as the mystery around the exact cause continues to deepen. Now, as a probe is launched to look at one of the pilot's medical records and the CEO or Air India speaks out, we look at the unanswered questions in one of the worst aviation disasters in history. Chilling cockpit audio The preliminary report into the disaster revealed the chilling conversation had in the cockpit just moments before the plane crashed and erupted into flames. It sheds light on the moment one of the pilots realised that the fuel cutoff switches had been flipped, leaving the airline with no engine power. Revealing a panicked exchange, the report said: "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so." "At about 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots transmitted "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY". The ATCO enquired about the call sign. ATCO did not get any response but observed the aircraft crashing outside the airport boundary and activated the emergency response." Fuel switch mystery Aviation experts have been quick to react to the report's findings that the fuel cutoff switches were seemingly flipped, with one claiming that the crew were "absolutely" the cause. Captain Mohan Ranganthan, one of India's key aviation experts, has suggested this potential cause could have been deliberate. Ranganthan, speaking to NDTV, said: "It has to be done manually, it cannot be done automatically or due to a power failure." These fuel switches have to be operated by pulling each lever upwards to unlock them before being flipped. These switches also have a protective guard bracket to protect them from accidental nudges or bumps. At the time the plane went down, one engine was regaining thrust while the other had relit but had not yet recovered power. Ranganthan added: "The fuel selectors they aren't the sliding type they are always in a slot. They are to pull them out or move them up or down, so the question of them moving inadvertently out of off position doesn't happen. It's a case of deliberate manual selection." He then claimed "nothing else" could have caused that possible explanation, adding: "It had to be deliberately done." Those investigating the crash say that the fuel switchers, which are level-locked, are designed to prevent accidental activation. "It would be almost impossible to pull both switches with a single movement of one hand, and this makes accidental deployment unlikely," an unnamed Canada-based air accidents investigator, told the BBC. Indian pilots slam 'disturbing' claims A group of Indian pilots have issued a furious statement in response to the report and the speculation it has sparked online. Defending the actions of the Air India crew, The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) say that staff "acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions and the pilots shouldn't be vilified based on conjecture". "To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession," it fumed. The preliminary investigation does not offer any clarity on how the switches were moved before the crash, but social media users and some experts have been quick to speculate about the role of the pilots. "We are deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse - particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide," the pilot association said. "Let us be unequivocally clear: 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." Troubling warning six years before crash It has also been claimed that Air India was warned about wrongly installed fuel switches more than six years before the terrifying disaster. The preliminary report into the crash said in December 2018, the US air regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines that fuel switches had been installed in some Boeing 737s "with the locking feature disengaged". "If the locking feature is disengaged, the switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting the switch during transition, and the switch would be exposed to the potential of inadvertent operation," the FAA warned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin. "Inadvertent operation of the switch could result in an unintended consequence, such as an in-flight engine shutdown." It recommended airlines inspect the switches, including "whether the fuel control switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting up the switch". Air India suggested such inspections were not carried out because the FAA's bulletin was "advisory and not mandatory", according to the report. The AAIB report says the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D fitted in the 787-8 Dreamliner, the model that crashed in Ahmedabad. Switches are 'safe' As the preliminary report continues to rattle the industry, the US aviation regulator has been forced to step in and clarify that the fuel control switches in Boeing planes are safe. In response to Air India having been warned about wrongly installed switches six years ago, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that its own 2018 advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" - but it stated that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe. "Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787," said the authority, according to a note seen by the BBC. "The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate." Medical records probe It emerged today that the medical records of one of the pilots of the doomed Air India plane are being examined after it has been claimed he suffered from poor mental health. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was piloting the Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed and aviation expert Captain Ranganathan has suggested that 'several' other pilots had allegedly claimed that he had suffered from poor mental health. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he claimed: "He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years. He had taken medical leave for that." The publication said that while Air India declined to comment, an official working with their parent company, Tata Group, said that Captain Sabharwal had not taken any medical leave, with the preliminary report failing to obtain any significant findings. They added that within the last two years, both pilots onboard the flight had passed the Class I medical exam, which makes an evaluation of their psycho-physical capabilities. Air India CEO speaks out In a bid to ease growing concerns, the CEO of Air India Campbell Wilson has clarified that the preliminary report into the disaster found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the plane or its engines. An internal memo shows Mr Wilson explaining that the airline's whole 787 fleet had been inspected immediately after the crash and all planes were deemed fit for service, the Independent reports. He also stated that the pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser test and there were no observations regarding their medical status. Mr Wilson added that the investigation was "far from over". Grieving families desperate for truth Families of the Air India crash victims have slated the 'vague' initial investigation as they demand more clarity on the exact cause of the disaster. A relative of Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were travelling home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday when they died in the crash, said he was not satisfied by the report's findings. Ishan Baxi, the cousin of the two victims, said: "We're still hoping for a more transparent and honest investigation that doesn't shy away from addressing possible mechanical flaws or lapses in protocol to avoid future potential accidents. "I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who's accountable. It shouldn't hide behind vague terms." And the loved ones grieving a family of three who died in the crash - Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter, Sara Nanabawa - issued a statement. "Moving forwards, we require honesty, transparency and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth," they said. "We seek justice and answers, both of which are essential for us to find any sense of closure. We accept God's fate, but knowing what happened will help ease our hearts and allow us to begin the long journey of healing. 'Above all, we hope that by pursuing the truth, no other family will ever have to endure the shock, uncertainty, and profound sorrow that we have lived through this past month."
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Fears grow Air India crash was pilot suicide as aviation expert says ‘vanishingly small' chance fuel was cut by accident
FEARS are mounting that the doomed Air India flight was a pilot suicide - as an aviation expert claimed there was a vanishingly small chance the fuel was cut by accident. Ex-pilot Terry Tozer told The Sun why it was extremely likely that the fuel switches were cut off intentionally - as a new preliminary report revealed the final moments inside the cockpit. 8 8 8 8 He explained why the plane's lock mechanism meant it was incredibly unlikely the fuel was cut off accidentally. Tozer said: "The fuel cutoff switches were actioned shortly after lift off from RUN to CUTOFF. "And that implies that somebody did that as a conscious human action, because so far as we understand, these switches have a lock mechanism." He added: "They have to be lifted in order to be moved. Otherwise they lock in position." The claims come after the preliminary report on Saturday which indicated there may have been human error during the final moments of the doomed flight. But aviation experts, like Tozer, have claimed it is almost certainly a case of deliberate action - as speculation continues to grow that the crash was caused by a suicide attempt. Two major commercial pilots' associations rejected claims that human error caused the Boeing to crash and kill 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Tozer also explained another piece of evidence which strongly ruled out an electrical or mechanical fault. He said: "The fact that the fuel cutoff was initiated first with one engine and then the other... kind of implies a conscious lifting of a switch - moving it and lifting it." The expert said that unless somebody could prove a "weird electromechanical process" caused the switch to move without human intervention, then all evidence indicated that "somebody lifted and moved one switch followed by the other". Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion And he said the chance somebody could prove the switches were faulty was now "vanishingly small". He explained: "I find it hard to believe that that something you would do by accident." But he stopped short of speculating why the pilot may have chosen to do this. "And of course, that opens another whole can of worms as to why somebody would do that," he said. He also told how the report was "probably trying to avoid deliberately pointing a finger" at either of the pilots by not naming which one said "why did you cutoff" in response to the fuel cutoff switches moving. "The full report will basically come up with final conclusions," he said, adding that not naming them specifically indicated investigators were "very circumspect". He added: "But of course, if the locking mechanism didn't actually function on this aircraft, you can't entirely rule out the fact that someone inadvertently touched them and they flicked off. "Having said that, I can't see why any pilot would have their hands anywhere near the area where these switches are located." He continued: "The first officer was flying the aircraft. Whose hands would have both been on the control column? "The captain would have been monitoring what was going on. So he had his hands free." 8 8 He said that another pilot in India speculated that the pilot committed suicide - but said that this statement was "rather presumptuous because we simply don't know". The claims came as it was revealed that Air India's CEO backed the doomed fight's pilots in a leaked memo, Reuters reported. Airline CEO Campbell Wilson said the probe into the horrific crash was far from over and warned it would be unwise to jump to any conclusions. He said in the memo: "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." Wilson added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over." Key findings of the report: Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits The Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick from Indian Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff,the report released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said. The memo also said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults, and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The claims and leaked memo also came as it was revealed the doomed flight's captain was considering quitting early after his mum's death. Flight AI171 was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was reportedly just months away from retirement, his neighbours revealed. He was looking to retire early and take care of his 92-year-old father Pushkaraj Sabharwal - a former Indian civil aviation official - who became alone after his wife's death. Savitri Budhania, who lives close to Captain Sabharwal's house, said she once told him that "your father is too old to be living alone". To which the pilot replied: "Just one or two more flights… then I'm going to just be with Papa." A leading aviation expert in India also told The Telegraph that Captain Sabharwal suffered from mental health issues and depression - and had taken time off in the last few years following his mum's death. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former instructor pilot of Boeing 737, said: "I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues. "He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years." Crash investigators are now said to be probing the medical records of the Sabharwal amid claims he suffered from mental health problems. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 8 8
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Sporting news in brief
SIRAJ FINED AFTER DUCKETT SEND-OFF CRICKET: India bowler Mohammed Siraj has admitted breaching the ICC's code of conduct following his angry send-off of Ben Duckett during the third Rothesay Test at Lord's. Siraj dismissed the England opener on the fourth morning, bellowing in the left-hander's face as he celebrated in his follow through. The pair then nudged shoulders as Duckett walked off, with the match officials issuing a level one charge against the seamer. He accepted it without a formal hearing and has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee as well as one demerit point. Siraj currently has two on his record, with a total of four enough to trigger a suspension.
