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New Straits Times
09-07-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Toll of Air India disaster rests at 260 as focus turns to crash report
AHMEDABAD, India: Indian forensic investigators have identified all 260 people killed in last month's crash of a London-bound passenger plane, health authorities said Wednesday, ahead of a hugely anticipated preliminary report into what went wrong. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the probe into one of the deadliest air disasters in decades -- with an initial report expected to be released on Friday, a month after the crash. All but one of the 242 people aboard the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were killed when it crashed on June 12. It ploughed into housing just after takeoff in the western city of Ahmedabad, and authorities have also identified 19 people killed on the ground. No details have been released about the probe, in which British and US air accident investigation agencies have also taken part. But specialist website The Air Current, citing multiple people knowledgeable with the investigation, reported it had "narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches", while noting that full analysis will "take months -- if not longer". It noted that "the focus of the investigators could change during that time". But it also said that, "at this point in the inquiry, the data available to investigators does not indicate a mechanical or design issue" with the 787 plane, or its engines. The site said that its sources "indicated that post-accident analysis showed no sign of fuel contamination or improper retraction of the aircraft's flaps", over which there has been speculation as a contributing cause. Health officials in the Indian state of Gujarat initially said that at least 279 people were killed, but forensic scientists reduced the figure after multiple scattered and badly burnt remains were identified. "The final death toll in the plane crash now stands at 260," Rakesh Joshi, head of Ahmedabad's main state hospital, told AFP on Wednesday. "All the human remains found so far from the crash site have been identified and handed over to their families," Joshi added. "Our work is now over," he added. "We have matched DNA of all the mortal remains that were collected from the crash site". The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stipulates that states heading investigation must submit a preliminary report to the Canada-headquarted organisation within 30 days of an accident. That report, however, does not have to be made public.
NDTV
09-07-2025
- General
- NDTV
Air India Crash Probe Focusing On Movement Of Engine Fuel Control Switches: Report
New Delhi: A report in the well-regarded aviation journal, The Air Current says "the ongoing investigation into the cause of the June 12 crash of Air India flight 171 has narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel control switches." The article, which attributes its information to "multiple people with knowledge of the investigation," comes in a week when India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) is expected to make public the preliminary report of its AI-171 investigation. At the time of publication of this report, neither the AAIB nor the Civil Aviation Ministry have announced the precise date on which the preliminary report will be published, though India, as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), is expected to release the report within 30 days of the incident. It is, therefore, widely believed that the preliminary report will be released on July 11, if not earlier. 260 people were killed when AI-171 on a flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick on June 12 crashed within 35 seconds of taking off. 241 people onboard the Dreamliner were killed. The other fatalities were on the ground. One passenger on the Dreamliner had a miraculous escape. While the article in The Air Current doesn't explicitly say as much, any focus on the fuel-control switches of the Boeing 787 points to the possibility of pilot error. Aviation experts not related to the crash investigation have told NDTV that in the event of a single-engine failure on AI-171 shortly after take-off, it is conceivable that one of the pilots accidentally switched off the fuel supply to the wrong engine, in other words, the engine which was still operational. In certain situations, including an in-flight engine failure, pilots are expected to switch off fuel flow to a malfunctioning engine as part of operating procedures to 'secure' this unit. Put simply, if AI-171 had suffered an engine failure on one of its two General Electric Aerospace GEnx-1B engines, the last thing pilots should have been doing is switching off fuel flow to the only operational power plant. Restarting ('relighting') an engine inflight is not an instant process and needs the pilots to work through a brief set of procedures. With no altitude, and therefore no time available, it may have been impossible for the pilots to have restarted the operational engine on AI-171 and fly out of danger if they realised they had accidentally switched off the wrong one. NDTV cannot independently verify the accuracy of the report in The Air Current nor confirm that pilot error was, in any way, a primary cause for the crash of AI-171. The Air Current report additionally points out that ''the lack of any kind of advisory warning from Boeing or GE operators, known as a multi-operator message (MOM) or all-ops wire, in the 13 days that have followed the initial black box reading in Delhi by the AAIB on June 25 is a key signal that a mechanical failure is not immediately suspected as the likely cause of the crash.'' It is still unclear when the final crash report will be published or whether the much-anticipated preliminary report will reveal the likely causes of the first-ever Boeing 787 crash.
Express Tribune
09-07-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
As crash preliminary report nears, Air India jet's fuel switches in focus
A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India Listen to article A preliminary report into the deadly crash of an Air India jetliner in June is expected to be released by Friday, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, with one adding the probe had narrowed its focus to the movement of the plane's fuel control switches. The London-bound Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner, which started losing height after reaching an altitude of 650 feet, crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and the rest on the ground. The investigation into the Air India crash is focusing on the movement of the engine fuel control switches following an analysis of the 787's flight and voice data recorders, along with a simulation by Boeing of the aircraft's final moments, one of the sources said. The investigation has not raised any immediate concerns over mechanical failure, the source said, and there has been no bulletin to airlines recommending changes to 787 operations. Boeing declined to comment. Aviation industry publication The Air Current first reported the focus on the fuel switches that help power the plane's two engines. It was not clear what specific actions involving the fuel switches are being looked at by investigators. Sources told the Air Current that the available information on the black boxes could not rule in or out improper, inadvertent, or intentional actions that preceded or followed the apparent loss of thrust before the aircraft crashed. US aviation safety expert John Cox said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed the engines. "You can't bump them and they move," he said. Cox added that if a switch were shut off, the effect would be almost immediate, cutting off engine power. Read: Regulators warned Air India Express about delay on Airbus engine fix Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors. The investigation is focusing at least partly on engine thrust, Reuters reported last month. While the report from Indian investigators could be made public on Friday, the three sources cautioned Reuters that plans could change and there was no clarity on how much information would be available in the document, which comes about 30 days after the June 12 tragedy. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is leading the probe under international rules, did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours. Information release The probe has been dogged by questions over a lack of information, after investigators took about two weeks to download flight recorder data after the crash. The Indian government held only one press conference on the incident, and no questions were taken. However, India reversed course on an earlier decision reported by Reuters to prevent a UN aviation investigator from joining the probe, two senior sources said. A specialist from the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was granted observer status, following an unusual request by the agency to offer its support. ICAO declined to comment, adding in a statement that any public discussion of "cooperative arrangements" would require authorisation by the state. The crash is challenging the Tata Group's ambitious campaign to restore Air India's reputation and revamp its fleet, after taking the carrier over from the government in 2022. India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, with New Delhi saying it wants India to be a job-creating global aviation hub along the lines of Dubai, which currently handles much of the country's international traffic. A panel of Indian lawmakers will review safety in the country's civil aviation sector and has invited several industry and government officials to answer questions on Wednesday, with topics set to include the recent plane crash.
Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Straits Times
Air India jet's fuel switches in focus, as crash preliminary report nears
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox NEW DELHI - A preliminary report into the crash of an Air India jetliner that killed 260 people in Jun e is expected to be released by July 11, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, with one adding that the probe had narrowed its focus to the movement of the plane's fuel control switches. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which started losing height after reaching an altitude of 198m, crashed moments after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground. The investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash is focusing on the movement of the engine fuel control switches, following an analysis of the 787's flight and voice data recorders, along with a simulation by Boeing of the aircraft's final moments, one of the sources said. The investigation has not raised any immediate concerns over mechanical failure, the source said, and there has been no bulletin to airlines recommending changes to 787 operations. Boeing has declined to comment. Aviation industry publication The Air Current first reported the focus on the fuel switches that help power the plane's two engines. It is not clear what specific actions involving the fuel switches are being looked at by investigators. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore to hire 1,000 new educators annually in the next few years, up from 700 Business Temasek reports $45 billion rise in net portfolio value to $434 billion Singapore Pritam's appeal against conviction, sentence over lying to Parliament set for Nov 4 Asia Why Japan and South Korea are on different paths in the latest US trade salvo Singapore Female primary school teacher allegedly committed sex acts with underage male student Opinion Hyper-competitive classrooms feed the corporate world's narcissist pipeline Singapore Man charged after he allegedly threw glass bottle at bus window, injuring passenger Singapore Police officer taken to hospital after motorcycle accident on PIE Sources told The Air Current that the available information on the black boxes could not rule in or out improper, inadvertent or intentional actions that preceded or followed the apparent loss of thrust before the aircraft crashed. US aviation safety expert John Cox said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed the engines. 'You can't bump them and they move,' he said. Mr Cox added that if a switch was shut off, the effect would be almost immediate, cutting off engine power. Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors. The investigation is focusing at least partly on engine thrust, Reuters reported in June. While the report from Indian investigators could be made public on July 11, the three sources cautioned to Reuters that plans could change, and there was no clarity on how much information would be available in the document, which comes about 30 days after the June 12 tragedy. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is leading the probe under international rules, did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours. Lack of information The probe has been dogged by questions over lack of information, after investigators took about two weeks to download flight recorder data after the crash. The Indian government held only one press conference on the incident and no questions were taken. However, India reversed course on an earlier decision reported by Reuters to prevent a UN aviation investigator from joining the probe, two senior sources said. A specialist from the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was granted observer status, following an unusual request by the agency to offer its support. ICAO declined to comment, adding in a statement that any public discussion of 'cooperative arrangements' would require authorisation by the state. The crash is challenging the Tata Group's ambitious campaign to restore Air India's reputation and revamp its fleet, after taking over the carrier from the government in 2022. India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, with New Delhi saying it wants India to be a job-creating global aviation hub along the lines of Dubai, which currently handles much of the country's international traffic. A panel of Indian lawmakers will review safety in the country's civil aviation sector and has invited several industry and government officials to answer questions on July 9, with topics set to include the recent plane crash. REUTERS
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First Post
09-07-2025
- General
- First Post
Did ‘improper' use of fuel control switches lead to Air India plane crash?
A new report says that the investigation into last month's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad focused on the engine fuel control switches after reviewing data from the flight and voice recorders. These switches are usually used on the ground to start the engine or shut it down after landing. The report suggests there may have been a possibility that the switches in the cockpit were moved incorrectly read more The London-bound Air India flight was carrying 242 people, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. Reuters/File Photo A preliminary report on last month's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has been submitted to the civil aviation ministry. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the investigation looked closely at the engine fuel control switches after analysing data from the aircraft's flight and voice recorders. The crash took place on June 12, just 32 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport. ALSO READ | Mayday call, crash into medical hostel: What happened to Air India flight after it took off STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The London-bound Air India flight was carrying 242 people, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. All were killed in the fire, except for one passenger seated in 11A who survived. So, what role did the engine fuel control switches play in the crash? What does the report say? Let's find out: The link between engine fuel control switches & Air India crash Aviation industry publication The Air Current has reported that investigators are focusing on the engine fuel control switches in the Air India crash case. This comes after a detailed study of the flight and voice data from the Boeing 787 involved in the incident. The report added that it could take several months or longer to fully analyse the movement of these switches along with other evidence and findings. According to the publication, there might have been a chance that the fuel control switches in the cockpit were moved in the wrong way. The crash took place on June 12. Reuters/File Photo These switches have two settings: run and cutoff. The report said that they are typically used on the ground while starting the engine or shutting it down after landing. However, in case of an emergency like engine failure during flight, the crew may need to move the switches to shut down or restart an engine manually. It further said that switching from run to cutoff while airborne would stop the fuel flow to that engine, causing it to shut down immediately and lose all thrust. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This action would also lead to a halt in the power supply from the engine's two electrical generators, affecting several aircraft systems and some displays in the cockpit. The switches are located below the jet's throttle levers, placed inside a fuel control module. They are surrounded by brackets to stop them from being moved by mistake. Each switch also has a metal stop lock, which requires the crew to lift it before shifting position. In the case of an engine fire, the switch linked to that engine would glow red, offering a clear warning to the pilots, the report said. Sources told The Air Current that the black box data does not confirm whether the switches were moved by mistake, on purpose, or due to some other issue before or after the apparent loss of thrust. US aviation safety expert John Cox said it would be very unlikely for a pilot to move these switches by accident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'You can't bump them and they move,' he said. Cox added that if a switch was turned off, the engine would lose power almost immediately. Meanwhile, Reuters quoted sources who said the investigation has not found any urgent concerns about a mechanical fault, and no advisory has been issued to airlines to change the way they operate Boeing 787 aircraft. ALSO READ | How safe is the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the jet involved in Ahmedabad plane crash? Air India plane crash The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner began losing height after reaching 650 feet and crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. Of the 242 people on board, 241 died. The crash also claimed more lives on the ground, bringing the total death toll to 260. The investigation is being led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, as per international guidelines. Most air accidents usually happen due to a mix of reasons. Last month, Reuters reported that the current probe is looking into engine thrust as one of the possible causes. On Friday, Air India said it has paid compensation to the families of nearly two-thirds of the victims who died in the crash. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Soon after the tragedy, Air India's parent company, Tata Sons, announced that it would give Rs 1 crore to the family of each person who died in the incident.
