Air India crash's initial report to be submitted this week: Air accident watchdog to Parl panel
Sources told PTI that no report has been finalised so far, and investigations are underway.
The AAIB officials told the panel that the black box and voice recorder of the aircraft were intact and data was being investigated, the sources said.
Also Read | Ahmedabad plane crash: 241 killed on board flight, only one survivor
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture that although an initial report was due within 30 days of the June 12 incident, no report has been submitted yet.
The preliminary report due will offer the first official explanation for the crash of the Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed all but one of the 242 people on board.
Also Read | Mostly intact black box seen as key break in Air India plane crash investigation
The report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will provide reasons for the accident and is based on an examination of data extracted from the cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder, according to people familiar with the process, who asked not to be identified, discussing confidential information.
Members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised serious concerns over aviation safety following the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad and the sudden surge in flight fares from Srinagar to other cities after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, according to sources.
A day-long meeting of a parliamentary committee on safety in the aviation sector took place on Wednesday, with members questioning official agencies and private airlines over safety standards being followed by them.
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Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
Decoded black box from Air India 171 crash exposes cockpit chaos, but pilots' union says ‘we strongly object to this line....'
The preliminary investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 crash has brought renewed attention to the role of Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), commonly referred to as 'black boxes.' These critical devices have helped shed light on the crash sequence, even as concerns are being raised over how the probe is being conducted. What the black boxes recorded The black boxes recovered from the crash site recorded both flight data and cockpit audio. One of the devices was found on June 13, a day after the crash, heavily damaged and lying atop a building. It showed signs of impact and heat damage, with burnt connectors and exposed wires. The second recorder was recovered three days later near another building, still attached to its equipment shelf. Both devices were transferred to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab in Delhi on June 24. Using an identical EAFR unit known as a 'Golden Chassis' and download cables provided by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), investigators were able to retrieve the stored data. According to the AAIB, the black boxes contained about 49 hours of flight data covering six flights, including the crash. The cockpit voice recorder had captured two hours of audio, including the final moments of the doomed flight. ALPA India reacts to the investigation process Following the release of the preliminary report, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) voiced its concerns about how the investigation is being handled. In a public statement, ALPA's president Captain Sam Thomas said the union was 'surprised at the secrecy surrounding these investigations' and alleged that 'suitably qualified personnel were not taken on board for the probe.' The union criticised what it described as a premature presumption of pilot error. 'We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots, and we strongly object to this line of thought,' the statement read. ALPA India also called on the authorities to allow the union to join the investigation process, even if only in the role of observers, to help ensure greater transparency. Audio snippet from the cockpit adds to confusion A key moment from the cockpit voice recording was highlighted in the preliminary report. Just seconds after take-off, one pilot is heard asking the other, 'Why did you do the cut off?'—referring to the transition of both engine fuel switches from RUN to CUTOFF, which led to fuel starvation. The second pilot replied, 'I didn't.' The report does not clarify which of the two pilots made each statement. This uncertainty, coupled with the union's claims, has further complicated the public perception of the investigation's fairness. Final words As the investigation moves forward, the role of flight data, cockpit audio, and transparent processes will remain crucial in identifying the cause of the crash. While the black boxes have revealed significant details, questions about the accountability process and participation of stakeholders like ALPA India continue to be raised.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India 171 crash report: Fuel switch-off blamed in probe as pilots heard saying 'I didn't do it' moments before June 12 disaster
The preliminary investigation report on the June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash has revealed that both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were activated moments after takeoff. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the findings on Saturday, stating that both pilots appeared confused about how the fuel was shut off. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has urged the public not to jump to conclusions before the final report is released. Black boxes recovered and decoded in India Two enhanced airborne flight recorders (EAFRs), commonly known as black boxes, were recovered from the crash site. One was found on June 13 with significant heat and impact damage; the second was retrieved three days later. Both were sent to AAIB's Delhi lab on June 24. Using a 'Golden Chassis' and cables sourced from the US National Transportation Safety Board, investigators successfully extracted 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio. The data helped reconstruct the final six flights of the Boeing 787, including the one that crashed. This marks the first time the entire black box decoding process was completed within India. Cockpit audio reveals critical moment According to the AAIB's report, the aircraft reached a speed of 180 knots before both fuel cutoff switches transitioned from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within one second of each other. This led to an immediate drop in both engines' power levels. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut. The response was, "I didn't do it." This moment is being closely examined to understand whether the switches were toggled accidentally or due to a technical fault. The agency has not yet made any conclusive statements, and Civil Aviation Minister Naidu stressed that it is too early to determine the exact cause. Official response and safety checks underway Naidu praised the AAIB for handling what he described as a "challenging task" and maintaining transparency. He confirmed that the black boxes were not sent abroad for analysis, as initially speculated. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol had earlier stated that the entire investigation would be conducted domestically. The AAIB also reported that fuel samples taken from the refueling infrastructure were tested and found to be satisfactory. This rules out poor fuel quality as a contributing factor. 🚨🇮🇳#BREAKING | NEWS ⚠️ apparently the fuel cut off switches were flipped 'from run to cutoff 'just after takeoff starving the engines of fuel causing the Air India plane to crash 1 pilot can be heard asking the other' why he shut off the fuel' WSJ report The aircraft, en route from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people, including nine students and their family members on the ground. Only one person on board survived. The final AAIB report is awaited, and authorities stress that no conclusions should be drawn until all technical and procedural assessments are complete.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Can't draw conclusions from preliminary report, pilots' conversation brief: Minister on AAIB report
Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday (July 12, 2025) said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)'s report on the Ahmedabad plane crash was a preliminary one and conclusions cannot be drawn based on it as the conversation between the pilots was very brief. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation was talking to reporters in Pune about the investigation into the June 12 plane crash. Also read | Working closely with stakeholders: Air India after AAIB releases initial report on Ahmedabad plane crash The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the city airport, killing all but one of the 242 onboard and another 19 on ground in the deadliest aviation accident in a decade. The AAIB has released its preliminary report on the fatal Air India plane crash. It has found that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to ground almost immediately after taking off. The 15-page report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied. Mr. Mohol said, "This is a preliminary report. We cannot draw any conclusions based on it. Earlier, in case of such accidents, the black box had to be sent abroad. Now, we can complete this investigation quickly ourselves. The AAIB is an independent body. There is no interference from the ministry in it." "No conclusions can be drawn based on the pilots' conversation as it is very brief. Further investigation is necessary. We should wait for that report," he added.
