Latest news with #GrahamBraithwaite
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Air India flight crash: Not easy to ‘accidentally' cut off fuel switches, expert says
The fuel switches that were cut off before the Air India plane crash are the kind used on every flight, and designed so that this cannot easily 'accidentally' happen, an aviation expert has said. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing 241 people on board. Another 19 other people also died and 67 were seriously injured. A preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the 'cut-off' position 'immediately' after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine. '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 reads. The switches were then returned to their normal inflight position, which triggered an automatic engine relight and a thrust recovery procedure. While the engines started to recover, one of the pilots transmitted 'mayday, mayday, mayday', before the plane was seen by air traffic control to crash outside the airport. The fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said. They are designed so they cannot easily be 'accidentally' turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he said. 'For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one. 'So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them. 'They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease.' Professor Braithwaite said that if the switch had been moved by a person, that would have been a 'very unusual thing to do' at below 1,000 feet. 'It's not the point of flight where you try and call for your coffee, it's a period of flight where your focus is very, very clear, and that first 1,000 feet, it's about keeping the airplane climbing and that's not about clicking switches.' He added: 'I could see why a nervous flyer would be nervous at the thought that it's possible to shut both engines down at a critical stage in flight, but for whatever reason, and that there are a number of things that are in place to stop it from accidentally happening.' The aircraft was about 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a 'really, really unusual event', Professor Braithwaite said. Of the next stage of the investigation, he said: 'If somebody did wilfully move a switch, then was it on the one hand a wilful active sabotage, in which case the investigation changes considerably, because this safety investigation that published the report yesterday will not be leading on that, that would be a police investigation. 'So that would change at that point, but if it wasn't clear that it was that wilful action, you'd be looking at, well, what kind of mistake might somebody have made?' Of his general thoughts on the preliminary report, he said the authors have been 'very careful in their wording' to demonstrate they remain 'open minded' about what could have happened. A lawyer advising some of the families affected by the crash said the findings were 'deeply concerning'. Demetrius Danas, an aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with those who've lost loved ones in such devastating circumstances. 'The findings of the initial report are deeply concerning and certainly merit further scrutiny to establish the full facts around how this tragedy happened. 'We're continuing to speak with and advise families who've been affected by the Air India crash. Understandably, all they want is to be provided with answers.' The only surviving passenger on the plane was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who previously told The Sun it was a 'miracle' he was alive but felt 'terrible' he could not save his brother Ajay. Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities. If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time. The preliminary report says that all crew members had been breathalised on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, which found they were 'fit to operate the flight'. No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall. Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage and quarantined at a hangar in the nearby airport. Investigators have identified 'components of interest for further examinations', the report says. Fuel samples taken from tanks used to refuel the aircraft were 'satisfactory'. Statements have been taken from Mr Ramesh and witnesses by investigators, who will also be looking at the post-mortem examination reports of the crew and the passengers. This is being done 'to corroborate aeromedical findings with the engineering appreciation', the report adds. An Air India spokesman said: 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.' The spokesman added: 'Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. 'We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other authorities as their investigation progresses. 'Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such inquiries to the AAIB.'
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- General
- Qatar Tribune
Air India crash: Fuel was cut off to plane seconds after takeoff
dpa New Delhi Questions have swirled over what caused an Air India jet to crash into a residential neighbourhood shortly after take-off last month, killing 260 people. Preliminary findings by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) about the June 12 disaster suggests an answer, but also deepens the mystery: the fuel control switches for both engines on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were nearly simultaneously flipped to the 'cut-off' position seconds after departure. The cockpit voice recorder captured the confusion as the London-bound plane experienced a sudden loss of thrust and began to descend over a residential area of Ahmedabad, in western India. The 15-page report released on Saturday notes that one pilot can be heard asking the other: 'Why did you cut-off?' The other responds: 'I didn't do it.' There were two pilots - the captain and the co-pilot - and investigators said they have yet to determine who was speaking. In the event of an engine failure, pilots can use these switches to manually restart or shut down an engine. The switches are spring-loaded to prevent them from being accidentally moved. Aviation expert Graham Braithwaite from Cranfield University told the BBC that if a pilot wanted to operate the switch, he would have to 'lift it and move very positively the position.' The switches were flipped from the 'cut-off' position back to the 'run' position seconds later, the report said - but it was too late to save the plane. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, crashed into a building less than minute after take-off and burst into flames. All but one of the passengers - a British national - were killed, along with 19 people on the ground. Emergency system deployed Investigators found no signs of a bird strike or external impact, noting that the aircraft had already begun losing altitude before it even cleared the airport perimeter wall. Airport surveillance footage showed the deployment of the jet's emergency Ram Air Turbine - a small propeller that generates hydraulic or electrical power - during the plane's brief climb. The system is typically activated in critical power-loss situations. No recommendations for Boeing At this stage of the investigation, the bureau issued no recommendations for Boeing or for the GE GEnx-1B engines used on the aircraft. Experts from Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration, and engine manufacturer General Electric are assisting with the probe. Air India confirmed it had received the preliminary findings but declined to comment further. 'Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such enquiries to the AAIB,' the company posted on X.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Air India pilot's mistake uncovered in report 'couldn't have been accident'
The alleged fatal mistake made by the pilots on the doomed Air India flight that crashed was not an easy one to make, an aviation expert has said. A preliminary report into the crash, that killed 241 onboard the flight, claimed the fuel switches to the engine were reportedly cut off prior to the tragic air disaster. An expert has since claimed these switches are the kind used on every flight, and designed so that this cannot easily "accidentally" happen. The London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12. A preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the "cut-off" position "immediately" after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine. This report said: "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 switches were then returned to their normal inflight position, which triggered an automatic engine relight and a thrust recovery procedure. While the engines started to recover, one of the pilots transmitted a "mayday, mayday, mayday" message before the plane was seen by air traffic control to crash outside the airport. Aviation expert Professor Graham Braithwaite, at Cranfield University, said these fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire. They are designed so they cannot easily be "accidentally" turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he added. The professor said: "For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one. "So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them. They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease." Professor Braithwaite said if the switch had been touched by a person at below 1,000 feet, it would have been a "very unusual thing to do". He said: "It's not the point of flight where you try and call for your coffee, it's a period of flight where your focus is very, very clear, and that first 1,000 feet, it's about keeping the airplane climbing and that's not about clicking switches." The professor added: "I could see why a nervous flyer would be nervous at the thought that it's possible to shut both engines down at a critical stage in flight, but for whatever reason, and that there are a number of things that are in place to stop it from accidentally happening." The doomed aircraft was around 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a "really, really unusual event", according to Professor Braithwaite. Of the next stage of the investigation, he said: "If somebody did wilfully move a switch, then was it on the one hand a wilful active sabotage, in which case the investigation changes considerably, because this safety investigation that published the report yesterday will not be leading on that, that would be a police investigation. "So that would change at that point, but if it wasn't clear that it was that wilful action, you'd be looking at, well, what kind of mistake might somebody have made?" If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time. The preliminary report said all crew members had been breathalysed on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, and found they were "fit to operate the flight". No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall. Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage and quarantined at a hangar in the nearby airport. Investigators have identified "components of interest for further examinations", the report says. An Air India spokesman said: "Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time." The spokesman added: "Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other authorities as their investigation progresses. Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such inquiries to the AAIB."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Air India pilot's mistake uncovered in report 'couldn't have been accident'
An aviation expert said the alleged fatal error made moments before tragic Air India Flight 171 crashed would not have been an easy one to make due to fuel switch design The alleged fatal mistake made by the pilots on the doomed Air India flight that crashed was not an easy one to make, an aviation expert has said. A preliminary report into the crash, that killed 241 onboard the flight, claimed the fuel switches to the engine were reportedly cut off prior to the tragic air disaster. An expert has since claimed these switches are the kind used on every flight, and designed so that this cannot easily "accidentally" happen. The London Gatwick -bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12. A preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the "cut-off" position "immediately" after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine. This report said: "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 switches were then returned to their normal inflight position, which triggered an automatic engine relight and a thrust recovery procedure. While the engines started to recover, one of the pilots transmitted a "mayday, mayday, mayday" message before the plane was seen by air traffic control to crash outside the airport. Aviation expert Professor Graham Braithwaite, at Cranfield University, said these fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire. They are designed so they cannot easily be "accidentally" turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he added. The professor said: "For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one. "So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them. They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease." Professor Braithwaite said if the switch had been touched by a person at below 1,000 feet, it would have been a "very unusual thing to do". He said: "It's not the point of flight where you try and call for your coffee, it's a period of flight where your focus is very, very clear, and that first 1,000 feet, it's about keeping the airplane climbing and that's not about clicking switches." The professor added: "I could see why a nervous flyer would be nervous at the thought that it's possible to shut both engines down at a critical stage in flight, but for whatever reason, and that there are a number of things that are in place to stop it from accidentally happening." The doomed aircraft was around 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a "really, really unusual event", according to Professor Braithwaite. Of the next stage of the investigation, he said: "If somebody did wilfully move a switch, then was it on the one hand a wilful active sabotage, in which case the investigation changes considerably, because this safety investigation that published the report yesterday will not be leading on that, that would be a police investigation. "So that would change at that point, but if it wasn't clear that it was that wilful action, you'd be looking at, well, what kind of mistake might somebody have made?" If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time. The preliminary report said all crew members had been breathalysed on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, and found they were "fit to operate the flight". No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall. Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage and quarantined at a hangar in the nearby airport. Investigators have identified "components of interest for further examinations", the report says. An Air India spokesman said: "Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time." The spokesman added: "Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other authorities as their investigation progresses. Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such inquiries to the AAIB."
South Wales Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- South Wales Guardian
Air India crash: Not easy to ‘accidentally' cut off fuel switches, expert says
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing 241 people on board. Another 19 other people also died and 67 were seriously injured. A preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, said both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the 'cut-off' position 'immediately' after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine. '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 reads. The switches were then returned to their normal inflight position, which triggered an automatic engine relight and a thrust recovery procedure. While the engines started to recover, one of the pilots transmitted 'mayday, mayday, mayday', before the plane was seen by air traffic control to crash outside the airport. The fuel switches are used at the end of every flight and in emergency scenarios such as a fire, director of aerospace and aviation at Cranfield University, Professor Graham Braithwaite said. They are designed so they cannot easily be 'accidentally' turned off and pilots would generally run through a checklist before doing so, he said. 'For obvious reasons, the two switches are a distance apart, so not a huge distance, but enough that you couldn't accidentally switch two when you're trying to switch one. 'So it's not like the lights in your house, where they're right next to each other, so there is some space between them. 'They're in that centre console, so that's in between the two pilots, so they can each reach them with the same ease.' Professor Braithwaite said that if the switch had been moved by a person, that would have been a 'very unusual thing to do' at below 1,000 feet. 'It's not the point of flight where you try and call for your coffee, it's a period of flight where your focus is very, very clear, and that first 1,000 feet, it's about keeping the airplane climbing and that's not about clicking switches.' He added: 'I could see why a nervous flyer would be nervous at the thought that it's possible to shut both engines down at a critical stage in flight, but for whatever reason, and that there are a number of things that are in place to stop it from accidentally happening.' The aircraft was about 11 years old, the fuel switches had been changed two years ago, and the crash was a 'really, really unusual event', Professor Braithwaite said. Of the next stage of the investigation, he said: 'If somebody did wilfully move a switch, then was it on the one hand a wilful active sabotage, in which case the investigation changes considerably, because this safety investigation that published the report yesterday will not be leading on that, that would be a police investigation. 'So that would change at that point, but if it wasn't clear that it was that wilful action, you'd be looking at, well, what kind of mistake might somebody have made?' Of his general thoughts on the preliminary report, he said the authors have been 'very careful in their wording' to demonstrate they remain 'open minded' about what could have happened. A lawyer advising some of the families affected by the crash said the findings were 'deeply concerning'. Demetrius Danas, an aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with those who've lost loved ones in such devastating circumstances. 'The findings of the initial report are deeply concerning and certainly merit further scrutiny to establish the full facts around how this tragedy happened. 'We're continuing to speak with and advise families who've been affected by the Air India crash. Understandably, all they want is to be provided with answers.' The only surviving passenger on the plane was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who previously told The Sun it was a 'miracle' he was alive but felt 'terrible' he could not save his brother Ajay. Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time. We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident… — Air India (@airindia) July 11, 2025 Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities. If the final investigation takes more than a year to complete, an interim report would be issued on the anniversary of the crash, Professor Braithwaite said, adding that interim recommendations could be made at any time. The preliminary report says that all crew members had been breathalised on their arrival at Ahmedabad airport, which found they were 'fit to operate the flight'. No significant bird activity was spotted near the flight path and the aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall. Both engines were retrieved from the wreckage and quarantined at a hangar in the nearby airport. Investigators have identified 'components of interest for further examinations', the report says. Fuel samples taken from tanks used to refuel the aircraft were 'satisfactory'. Statements have been taken from Mr Ramesh and witnesses by investigators, who will also be looking at the post-mortem examination reports of the crew and the passengers. This is being done 'to corroborate aeromedical findings with the engineering appreciation', the report adds. An Air India spokesman said: 'Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.' The spokesman added: 'Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. 'We continue to fully co-operate with the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other authorities as their investigation progresses. 'Given the active nature of the investigation, we are unable to comment on specific details and refer all such inquiries to the AAIB.'
