Latest news with #EhsanKhalid
India Gazette
a day ago
- General
- India Gazette
"Conclusive that accident happened because both engines lost power": Aviation expert Ehsan Khalid on AAIB preliminary report
New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): Aviation expert Ehsan Khalid stated on Saturday that the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) indicate that the Air India crash in Ahmedabad occurred due to a loss of power in both engines. Speaking to ANI, Khalid emphasised that any claims suggesting the pilots deliberately shut down the engines three seconds after takeoff are completely incorrect. He explained that the switch in question is a physical one and cannot be activated accidentally, nor can it move due to any failure or malfunction. 'When it collided, the switch position was in the run position. The AAIB report to me is only conclusive in saying that the accident happened because both engines lost power. Any kind of suggestion that pilots killed the engines 3 seconds after takeoff is totally incorrect. It is not possible that the switches can move from one place to another on their own,' the aviation expert said. 'The AAIB preliminary report has clarified a few speculations, which are out the window now. There was no sabotage, there was no fuel contamination, there was no flap misconfiguration, there was no problem with the aircraft maintenance, the Aircraft was producing full power, it achieved the right speed, and it got airborne, and the first three seconds of its flight were absolutely normal,' Khalid added. He noted that the physical switch cannot move inadvertently because of any failure or malfunction. 'Now this is conclusively proven by the AAIB report. In the timestamp of 0842, which is three seconds after takeoff, the AAIB report states that the power and the engine fuel switch move transitions from the run to cutoff within one second. That means within one second, this switch moved its position. There is no automatic movement of the switch. The switch is a physical switch and it cannot move inadvertently or because of any failure or because of any malfunction,' he added. He stated that the conversation between the two pilots of Air India Flight 171, which crashed in Ahemadabad killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground, mentioned in the reports revealed that both the pilots were aware that the aircraft Engine power had been lost, and the pilots also were aware that they did not do any action to cause this. 'What is conclusive is that at that particular instance, the aircraft stopped producing power. It was producing 100 per cent power or thrust, and thereafter it started to reduce power, at which the AAIB says the pilot asked the other pilot, Why did you cut off the switch? Pilot said, I didn't do it. That means pilots were aware that the aircraft Engine power had been lost, and pilots also were aware that they did not do any action to cause this. From thereafter, for the next 10 to 14 seconds, the engines were not producing power and the aircraft eventually lost lift and speed and then it continued to descend,' he further added. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent. Flight AI171 was a scheduled service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, carrying 230 passengers and crew. The crash represents one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India in recent history. Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, 'Why did you cut off?' to which the response was, 'I did not.' This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight. According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a 'MAYDAY' -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter. (ANI)
News18
a day ago
- General
- News18
Why The Air India Crash Report Raises More Questions Than Answers
Last Updated: The report concludes that cutting off of fuel supply led to the twin engines failing, and attempt to relight them did not yield result since the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude The much-awaited preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the Air India crash is out. While it has answered a critical question on what led to the crash just minutes after the flight took off from Ahmedabad airport—cutting off of fuel supply to the engines—it has left many unanswered questions. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu, in his first reaction to the report on Saturday, said the full report must be awaited before reaching any conclusion. The swirl of unanswered questions, however, makes this India's MH-370 moment as the mystery behind the Malaysian Airlines crash continues even after a decade. The AAIB report concludes that cutting off of fuel supply led to the twin engines failing and attempt to relight the engines did not yield result since the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude. 'The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off," the report said. Unanswered Questions 1) How did the fuel supply get cut off? Aviation experts tell CNN-News18 that the fuel switch cannot be automatically moved. It is a mechanical process with enough built-in safeguards. 'It has to be moved mechanically from Run to Cutoff position after landing. There is a safety guard at the base of the switch which can be moved only after the spring inside is physically lifted," Ehsan Khalid, a retired Indian Air Force pilot said. 2) Was the switch then moved by the pilot? The AAIB report has mentioned cockpit conversation between the two pilots as recorded by the flight data recorder. One of the pilots asks the other why the fuel cutoff switch has been moved but the second pilot says he hasn't done so. '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 says. At this point, the report does not identify who asked the question and which pilot responded. However, in para 12, the report says that it was First Officer Clive Kunder who was flying the aircraft on the day of the crash and Captain Sumeet Sabarwal was assisting. 'The co-pilot was Pilot Flying (PF), and the PIC was Pilot Monitoring (PM) for the flight," the report stated, adding that the crew of flight AI171 had undergone pre-flight Breathalyzer test and were found fit to operate the flight. The report also said that the pilots were well rested. Doubts have also been raised over the selective use of the cockpit transcript. The flight was airborne for about 38 seconds, but AAIB has only released one exchange between the pilot and the co-pilot. That in such a crisis no other communication happened between the two seems very unlikely. Is the data from the cockpit voice recorder impacted? Is that why the full transcript, which could have shed more light on what happened, has not been released? The pilot association too is unhappy. In a statement, the association said: 'The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry." 3) Mechanical failure? While aviation experts said the chance of failure of two fuel cut-off switches within one second of each other is one in a billion, AAIB—in its report—has noted a 2018 advisory from USA's Federal Aviation Administration, which had highlighted fuel control switch issues. 'SAIB (special airworthiness information bulletin) was issued based on reports from operators of Model 737 airplanes that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) by the FAA. The fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D which is fitted in B787-8 aircraft VT-ANB," the report noted. It also added that Air India told investigators that inspections of the fuel switch were not carried out on AI171 as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory. The report also said no defect pertaining to the fuel control switch has been reported since 2023 on these aircraft. The AAIB, however, has not recommended any further action by the engine or the aircraft manufacturers. 'At this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers," the report states, leading to more questions on whether preliminary probe has ruled out mechanical failures. First Published: July 12, 2025, 16:20 IST News india Why The Air India Crash Report Raises More Questions Than Answers Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. 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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Conclusive that accident happened because both engines lost power: Aviation expert Ehsan Khalid on AAIB preliminary report
Aviation expert Ehsan Khalid stated on Saturday that the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) indicate that the Air India crash in Ahmedabad occurred due to a loss of power in both engines. Speaking to ANI, Khalid emphasised that any claims suggesting the pilots deliberately shut down the engines three seconds after takeoff are completely incorrect. He explained that the switch in question is a physical one and cannot be activated accidentally, nor can it move due to any failure or malfunction. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Average Cost To Rent A Private Jet May Surprise You (View Prices) Private Jet I Search Ads Learn More Undo "When it collided, the switch position was in the run position. The AAIB report to me is only conclusive in saying that the accident happened because both engines lost power. Any kind of suggestion that pilots killed the engines 3 seconds after takeoff is totally incorrect. It is not possible that the switches can move from one place to another on their own," the aviation expert said. "The AAIB preliminary report has clarified a few speculations, which are out the window now. There was no sabotage, there was no fuel contamination, there was no flap misconfiguration, there was no problem with the aircraft maintenance, the Aircraft was producing full power, it achieved the right speed, and it got airborne, and the first three seconds of its flight were absolutely normal," Khalid added. Live Events He noted that the physical switch cannot move inadvertently because of any failure or malfunction. "Now this is conclusively proven by the AAIB report. In the timestamp of 0842, which is three seconds after takeoff, the AAIB report states that the power and the engine fuel switch move transitions from the run to cutoff within one second. That means within one second, this switch moved its position. There is no automatic movement of the switch. The switch is a physical switch and it cannot move inadvertently or because of any failure or because of any malfunction," he added. He stated that the conversation between the two pilots of Air India Flight 171, which crashed in Ahemadabad killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground, mentioned in the reports revealed that both the pilots were aware that the aircraft Engine power had been lost, and the pilots also were aware that they did not do any action to cause this. "What is conclusive is that at that particular instance, the aircraft stopped producing power. It was producing 100 per cent power or thrust, and thereafter it started to reduce power, at which the AAIB says the pilot asked the other pilot, Why did you cut off the switch? Pilot said, I didn't do it. That means pilots were aware that the aircraft Engine power had been lost, and pilots also were aware that they did not do any action to cause this. From thereafter, for the next 10 to 14 seconds, the engines were not producing power and the aircraft eventually lost lift and speed and then it continued to descend," he further added. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent. Flight AI171 was a scheduled service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, carrying 230 passengers and crew. The crash represents one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India in recent history. Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the response was, "I did not." This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight. According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a "MAYDAY" -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter.
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
'Advisory, not mandatory': Did FAA flag fuel control switch issue on Boeing jets in 2018? What AI 171 probe report says
NEW DELHI: The preliminary report on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad revealed that a 2018 US report had flagged the "potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. " According to the report, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) No. NM-18-33, issued in December 2018, flagged potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature in Boeing aircraft, including the B787-8 fitted with similar part numbers. "This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) is to advise registered owners and operators of The Boeing Company Model 717-200 airplanes; Model 737-700, -700C, -800, and -900ER series airplanes; Model 737-8 and -9 airplanes; Model 747-400, -400D, -400F, -8, and -8F series airplanes; Model 757-200, -200CB, -200PF, and -300 series airplanes; Model 767-200, -300, -300F, -400ER, and -2C series airplanes; Model 787-8, -9, and -10 airplanes; Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes; and Model MD-90-30 airplanes of the potential for disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature," the report said. "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. Inadvertent operation of the switch could result in an unintended consequence, such as an in-flight engine shutdown," it added. However, the report revealed that the suggested inspections were not carried out as the FAA report was not "advisory and not mandatory." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 기미, 레이저말고 이렇게 해보세요 에스테틱최원장 Undo What is the fuel control switch locking feature? The fuel control switch locking feature is a safety mechanism used in certain aircraft to prevent the inadvertent shutoff or misoperation of the engine's fuel control switch. The fuel control switch has a locking feature to prevent inadvertent operation that could result in unintended switch movement between the fuel supply and fuel cutoff positions. In order to move the switch from one position to the other under the condition where the locking feature is engaged, it is necessary for the pilot to lift the switch up while transitioning the switch position. Such inadvertent operation could lead to serious consequences, including an unintended in-flight engine shutdown, which is a critical safety concern. "The fuel cut-off switch is a physical switch, it has to be moved from one position to another, and it has to be moved from that position back. There is not automation involved in it. What automation is involved is the fuel shut-off valve," IAF pilot Captain (retired) Ehsan Khalid said. "It has transitioned from run to cut-off or ON to OFF, if that is what was being recorded and if AAIB meant then it is a different thing but fuel switches being moved up and down automatically does not happen. So, AAIB report to that has made some of the answers right, some of the speculations are out of the window. Pilot action 100 per cent right, they tried to revive the engine that is further corroborated with the fact that there was some movement of the fuel cut-off switch. The fact remains that the engine power was lost without pilot input is confirmed," he added. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a 15-page preliminary report a month after the tragic crash, detailing the early findings and current status of the investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick. The aircraft crashed just moments after takeoff, slamming into a medical hostel complex near the airport. Of the 241 people onboard, only one passenger survived. The AAIB report confirms that wreckage analysis, post-mortem reports, and component inspections are ongoing. "At this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers," the agency said. Air India said that it is cooperating fully with the investigation. "We will defer to the AAIB to provide information about AI171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13," Boeing said.
NDTV
17-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
Does RAT Hold Key To Air India Probe? Turbine Had Deployed Before Crash
New Delhi: India saw one of its worst aviation disasters, in which at least 270 people were killed, last week and new evidence indicates that both engines of the Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 may have failed or it may have suffered a total electrical or hydraulic malfunction. Clearer audio and video from the June 12 crash show that the Ram Air Turbine or RAT - a small propeller-like device which deploys automatically when there is a dual-engine failure or total electronic or hydraulic failure - was deployed on the Dreamliner, which crashed just 32 seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. The distinct high-pitched whine of the RAT can be clearly heard in the audio in the absence of the roar of the aircraft's jet engines and its deployment can also be made out in the video, which shows the plane struggling to maintain altitude and then beginning to descend rapidly. The RAT uses wind speed to generate emergency power and experts say its deployment, which happens automatically, points to three possible scenarios - both engines of the aircraft failed, it suffered an electronic failure, or its hydraulics failed. Veteran Indian Air Force Pilot and aviation expert Captain Ehsan Khalid said he had suspected dual engine failure on the day of the crash itself, after the video emerged, as the aircraft was not 'yawing' (turning abruptly) and it is nearly impossible for birds to hit both engines at the same time. "Dual engine failure was almost everybody's guess. The lone survivor of the crash had also said he heard a sound, which could be the deployment of the RAT; the racing of an engine, which could have been the propeller turning and picking up speed; and he saw red and blue lights, which could have been the emergency power connecting and the emergency lights turning on," he said. "The aircraft was actively flying and it was not able to maintain its height. It was a dual loss of power, which would obviously lead to lower speed and a loss of lift (the upward force that opposes gravity and allows an aircraft to fly) and the plane will continue to go down the way it did. The Ram Air Turbine deploys when there is a dual engine failure or electrical failure or hydraulic failure," he explained. The former Air Force pilot said an electrical failure, in certain conditions, could have led to the engines shutting down. "The engines shut down at precisely the same time. If there had been even a two-second difference, there would have been a predominant yaw to the left or the right. The engines have shut down digitally, precisely, and at the same time, which could have only happened due to a malfunction in the software, which was executed by a wrong signal from the sensors, which could have come from an electrical failure," he said. Professor of airspace Dr Aditya Paranjape also said the evidence points to both engines failing to provide thrust. "Airplanes are configured to climb out with just one engine operational, it is a standard manoeuvre known as a one engine out climb. That manoeuvre additionally requires that the rudder be deflected in the direction of the working engine to balance out the differential yawing movement, which we don't see here... The loss of power is identical on both sides of the airplane," he emphasised. 32 Seconds Of Terror The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was operating as Air India flight AI-171 to London, had taken off from Ahmedabad on the afternoon of June 12 and crashed into the complex of the BJ Medical College - an aerial distance of less than 2 km. The crash took place at 1.38 pm, just 32 seconds after the aircraft took off. Of the 242 people, including 10 crew members and two pilots, on board the flight, only one - 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian who was returning to the UK after a visit - survived. At least 30 people on the ground, including trainee doctors, were also killed. A bird hit was suspected to be the initial cause of the crash but it has been ruled out now as no bird carcasses were found on the runway and the two available videos don't show any fire, sparks, smoke or debris around the engines.
