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BBC News
15-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
As theories swirl about Air India crash, key details remains unknown
While the preliminary report into what caused the loss of Air India Flight 171 last month has provided some answers, it has also prompted a wave of speculation about its cause. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a building less than a minute after take-off from the city of Ahmedabad in western Indian en route to London, killing 241 people on board, along with 19 on the ground. One passenger contained in India's Air Accident Investigation Bureau report, the first official account of what happened, has raised questions about the role of the experts within the aviation industry claim investigators have been highly selective in what they have chosen to say. What the report says Under international protocols, the state leading an air accident investigation is meant to issue a preliminary report within 30 days. The 15-page document published by India's Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday fulfils this the AAIB has been leading the investigation, US interests are also represented, because Boeing, the maker of the aircraft, and GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer are report does not set out any conclusions as to the cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it has sparked considerable its account of the accident flight, the AAIB states that two fuel cut-off switches were moved from the 'run' to the 'cut-off' position seconds after take-off. This deprived the engines of fuel and caused them to lose thrust. Although data from the flight recorder shows the engines were subsequently restarted, it was too late to prevent the switches are normally only used to turn the engines on before a flight and off afterwards. They have a locking mechanism, which means they need to be pulled out before being flipped, a system designed to prevent accidental report also states that one pilot asks the other "why did he cutoff", while his colleague "responded that he did not do so". However, it does not provide any direct transcript of the conversation, which would have been picked up by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). Nor does it identify which pilot asked the is worth remembering that preliminary reports are not intended to offer a full picture of what happened or draw firm conclusions. They are meant to be a factual summary of the information obtained in the early stages of what could be a lengthy investigation. The investigating authority is also under no obligation to make their preliminary reports public. Missing information The information released so far has prompted a number of commentators to claim, in the media and online, that the accident was the result of deliberate and intentional action by one of the is a view that has attracted an angry response from the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, which warned that "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".Don't vilify Air India crash crew: Indian pilots' associationIt added that "to casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting".In a memo to staff, the chief executive of Air India struck a similar note. Campbell Wilson warned against drawing "premature conclusions".Since the report was issued, the BBC has spoken to a range of people within the industry, including pilots, accident investigators and engineers. While theories as to what actually happened vary widely, the dominant view is that important information is currently missing."They've told us stuff they want us to know at the moment, and withheld what they don't want us to know," explained one pilot, who asked not to be identified. "It's not a complete report."One of the main criticisms is the lack of a transcript from the cockpit voice recorder, which would enable the reported conversation between the pilots about the fuel cut-off switches to be put in Fehrm, an aeronautical analyst at consultants Leeham News said this was "totally unacceptable"."They have all this technical detail. Then you have this reference to dialogue, but it doesn't even tell you who's speaking," he Fehrm was also concerned that there was no reference to what happened in the cockpit between the switches being flipped from run to cut-off, and the first switch being pushed back into position to relight the first engine 10 seconds later."It's someone trying to hide something," he said. An engineering source, meanwhile, said the report was "very selective", and did not have any detailed information about what the engines were doing immediately before the switches were flipped. The document does say that the engine speed began to decrease from take-off values "as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off."This, they said was important - because flipping the switches to cut-off and back was something a pilot would be trained do to in order to restart an engine that was already losing Atkinson, an aviation consultant and former air accident investigator in the UK said, "it is very disappointing to read a report which does provide a few salient facts, leaves many more questions".Another element of the report that has caused controversy is a reference to a safety bulletin – known as a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin – published by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in was used to alert the aviation community that operators of some Boeing 737 models had reported cases in which the fuel cut-off switches had been fitted with the locking feature disengaged - potentially enabling the switch to be flipped by the time, the FAA described this as an "airworthiness concern", but said it was "not an unsafe condition" that would require mandatory action via what is known as an Airworthiness Directive. Operators of a number of different Boeing models fitted with similar switches, including 787s, were advised to carry out simple investigation report says Air India did not carry out those inspections - prompting speculation that the accident could have been caused by faulty switches being flipped by in an internal note seen by the BBC, the FAA has since reiterated its belief that the issue did not compromise sources have also pointed out that the report says the throttle control model on the crashed aircraft was replaced on two occasions, most recently two years before the accident. This would have involved replacing the cut-off switches as to Bjorn Fehrm of Leeham News, the reference to the FAA's advice contained in the report was "totally irrelevant" in the context of the India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked the operators of all aircraft covered by the FAA's original bulletin to carry out inspections by 21 former accident investigator Tim Atkinson, the vagueness of the report may have been deliberate - in order to suggest an explanation for the crash, while avoiding being too explicit."The very worst reports are those written to be read 'between the lines', and if that is what we have here, then it does no credit to the investigators," he those seeking firm answers to what happened on Flight 171 may well have to wait. International protocols stipulate that a final report should be published within a year of the accident. However, in practice, it can take a lot longer than that.
Al Jazeera
13-07-2025
- Al Jazeera
Video: What Air India report tells us caused Flight 171 to crash
What Air India report tells us caused Flight 171 to crash NewsFeed A preliminary report by Indian authorities into what caused the Air India plane crash in June has revealed switches were flipped to cut fuel to the engines just moments after takeoff. Aviation experts think that means pilot error is unlikely to blame for the disaster which killed 260 people. Video Duration 00 minutes 24 seconds 00:24 Video Duration 02 minutes 24 seconds 02:24 Video Duration 00 minutes 57 seconds 00:57 Video Duration 03 minutes 31 seconds 03:31 Video Duration 02 minutes 14 seconds 02:14 Video Duration 03 minutes 13 seconds 03:13 Video Duration 00 minutes 49 seconds 00:49
The Guardian
12-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘Why did he cut off?': what the report on the Air India Flight 171 crash found
A preliminary report from investigators looking at the Air India Flight 171 crash, which killed 260 people on 12 June, has been published. Seconds after takeoff, both of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel-control switches moved to the 'cutoff' position. This starved the engines of fuel, and they began to lose power. The report says: '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.' It did not identify who said what. Turning off the fuel requires the operation of two switches, centrally located on the flight deck – neither of which are the kind of simple push-button that could be brushed against accidentally or moved without force. Deliberate, malicious intent from either pilot would appear unthinkable given the record of the Air India officers in the cockpit. Switching off by mistake would also seem incredible. And yet human error cannot be excluded: as a pilot who flew Boeing jumbos for many years says, turning the switches on and off is something that pilots do – at the correct moment – on every flight, with the kind of muscle memory that makes a movement automatic. But this time the fuel was cut off after takeoff, while the landing gear was not raised. At the time of takeoff, the co-pilot was flying the aircraft while the captain was monitoring. Seconds later, the switches flipped back to 'run', the report says, which started the process of relighting the engines. One of the engines was in the process of regaining power at the time of the crash, while the other engine had relit but had not yet regained power. Both fuel control switches were found in the 'run' position at the crash site. The report said CCTV footage obtained from the airport showed a ram air turbine (RAT) was deployed during the initial climb immediately after takeoff. The small wind turbine acts as a backup power source during emergencies, and is normally only deployed during complete power failure. At 8.07am (UTC) the aircraft was cleared for takeoff. At about 8.09am, one of the pilots transmitted: 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.' The air traffic control officer did not get any response. The report also found: 'Both thrust levers were found near the aft (idle) position. 'However, the EAFR [enhanced airborne flight recorder] data revealed that the thrust levers remained forward (takeoff thrust) until the impact.' The report said both pilots had an 'adequate rest period prior to operating the said flight'. It added that the crew underwent a preflight breath analyser test and 'were found fit to operate'. The report said that the takeoff weight was 'within allowable limits'. It added that there were 'no dangerous goods' on the aircraft and there was no adverse weather. It added that fuel samples taken from the bowsers and tanks used to refuel the aircraft were tested and 'found satisfactory'. 'No significant bird activity' was observed in the vicinity of the flight path. The report said that in December 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a special airworthiness information bulletin based on reports from operators of model 737 planes that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive – a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions. The same switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB, which crashed. The report added: 'As per the information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory.' After Boeing was forced to ground a different model, the 737 Max, for more than a year after two fatal crashes – as well as the mid-flight blowout of a panel from a 737 Max – aviation experts no longer have implicit faith in Boeing's machinery and software. Investigators are still to examine 'components of interest' but it seems significant that they have made 'no recommended actions' regarding the Boeing 787 or the engine, for airlines or manufacturers. As one senior industry source and ex-pilot put it: 'There's nothing here that is likely.' Aviation's safety record – statistically the safest mode, despite recent tragedies – has long depended on examining not just the crashes but the near-misses, every deviation from the norm. Early speculation usually differs from the eventual cause or combination of causes, after manufacturers and airlines have tried to expunge every known risk. The investigation continues. The report said wreckage had been moved to a secure area near the airport. Both engines had been retrieved and were quarantined at a hangar in the airport. Additional details were being gathered 'based on the initial leads', it added. While a very limited amount of fuel samples could be retrieved from the APU filter and refuel/jettison valve of left wing, the report added the testing of these samples would be done at a suitable facility. Data downloaded from the forward enhanced airborne flight recorder was 'being analysed in detail'.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Air India crash: Victim's relative 'can't be at peace' until root cause known
The granddaughter of a victim of the Air India Flight 171 crash has said a preliminary report into the incident was "incomplete" and that she "can't be at peace" without those responsible being held accountable."It does bring us a little bit closer to understanding what happened," Ria Patel told BBC's Newshour, but added: "I want to be able to have closure."She is one of several voices in the UK to stress the need for answers over root causes of the crash, which occurred shortly after take-off in Ahmendabad on 12 June.A preliminary report, released on Friday, found fuel to the engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was cut moments after take-off. The investigation is Mahesh Patel, 79, was one of the 260 people killed - most of whom were passengers - when the London-bound plane fell into a densely populated neighbourhood in the western Indian city. Her granddaughter found reading the report "quite heartbreaking", as there were images from the immediate aftermath of the crash - including the wreckage - that were difficult to process. "For me, I can't sort of stop thinking about what my grandma's final moments must have looked like," she said from her home in Patel's grandmother had been staying in Ahmedabad for the prior few months, carrying out charity work at a temple. Manju's son had been due pick her up at Gatwick that night, and she was said to be looking forward to seeing her four grandchildren in the UK."This was the chance to reconnect with her after 10 years," Ms Patel said. "Knowing that we won't be able to see her again, it is really tough."Data gathered from inside the plane suggests both of its fuel control switches moved from the "run" to the "cut-off" position in the space of a second shortly after switches are typically only turned off when a plane has landed and made it to the gate, or during emergency situations. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) did not specify whether an emergency situation had taken place on board in its preliminary report. The cut-off then caused both engines to lose thrust, the AAIB report found. For Ms Patel, the preliminary report still points to several theories and its findings are she stressed how "extremely important" it was for her and others to find out what the underlying cause of the crash was."I feel like I can't really be at peace with what's happened, unless I understand where the accountability lies."Dr Mario Donadi, a friend of another victim killed in the Air India crash, described the initial findings a "huge slap in the face" on BBC Radio 4's Today "dear colleague", Dr Prateek Joshi, had been travelling back to the UK with his family. He took a picture of himself, his wife and three kids mere moments before take-off."How [can] something so trivial [as] a simple switch being deactivated lead to such a loss of life, of such huge dreams?" Dr Donadi Patel said she recognised that knowing what happened will not change the outcome of what occurred. "My grandma still isn't here." But she argued that "clear actions" needed to be taken for relatives of the victims "to feel a sense of justice - because so many lives have been lost".The AAIB investigation is expected to produce a more detailed report in 12 months. Ms Patel said the loss of her grandmother had left a noticeable "gap" in her life, as she used to call her every weekend."She will be sorely missed. She was an amazing woman."
Sky News
11-07-2025
- General
- Sky News
Preliminary report into Air India crash submitted to authorities - but may not be made public
A preliminary report into the doomed Air India Flight 171 that crashed moments after take off has been submitted to Indian authorities - but there is currently no obligation to make it public. The report has been filed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and is based on the initial findings of the probe, marking 30 days since the crash. Aviation experts stress the preliminary report would unlikely go into the causes of the crash but would indicate steps investigators are following, notable findings, the sequence of events and available evidence. Video footage of the flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick showed the aircraft unable to maintain thrust soon after take-off and could not climb over 625 feet in altitude. It plummeted into a busy area, killing 241 passengers and 19 others on the ground while incinerating everything around it. Of the 53 British nationals on board only one passenger - Vishwas Kumar Prakash, seated on 11A - miraculously escaped when the aircraft broke up after it slammed into a building. According to guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), investigators should release a preliminary report within a month of the accident. But there is currently no obligation for India's Civil Aviation Authority to make the report public. In the 2020 Calicut Air India Express crash that killed 21 people Indian Authorities did not release the preliminary report. Given the nature of the tragedy involving dozens of foreign citizens and the global spotlight of the accident there will be pressure and expectations to release it. Because an aircraft accident investigation is solely carried out to learn lessons and prevent a repeat incident, it does not apportion blame or trace culprits, so most countries release their preliminary findings. Indonesia released its report on its Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX crash in 2018, that killed all 189 on board, within a month. Aviation investigations are often exceptionally complex, painstaking, time-consuming and the final report could take many months or a year to conclude. Captain Amit Singh, founder of Safety Matters Foundation, an NGO dedicated to aviation safety, told Sky News accidents in aviation are "rarely isolated events". "They are the result of a chain of overlooked warnings, normalised deviance, and systemic complacency," he said. India's aviation sector is one of the fastest growing in the world, clocking over 10% growth a year since 2011, excluding the COVID years. It's the third-largest air transport market behind the United States and China. Data from India's Civil Aviation Ministry show there are around 6,900 domestic and international flights that carry more than a million passengers daily. In 2023 the industry generated US $53.6bn (£39.6bn), contributing 1.5% of the country's GDP and employing almost eight million people. 1:57 While the number of reported near misses is decreasing every year, the industry faces challenges in maintaining safety standards. Within 36 hours of the AI171 crash, four other separate in-flight emergencies were reported. India lacks an autonomous body or an ombudsman like the UK Civil Aviation Authority that can look into safety measures, maintenance practices, improved air traffic management and regulatory oversight into systemic issues. AI171 was 'inevitable' Air India was bought in 2022 by the Tata Group - one of the most respected Indian conglomerates that makes everything from salt to software to Jaguar and Land Rover. 0:31 But the crash has dealt a serious blow to its image amid the group's efforts to modernise the airlines. Captain Singh said: "the Tata Group, inherited a legacy riddled with systemic issues, ranging from outdated procedures to an entrenched bureaucratic safety culture".
