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Arab Times
2 days ago
- General
- Arab Times
Fuel Cutoff Mystery: Is the Truth About Air India's Crash Being Covered Up?
MUMBAI, July 18: The captain of Air India Flight 171, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad last month, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, reportedly handed control of the aircraft to his first officer seconds before the disaster, according to information retrieved from the flight's black boxes. Sources familiar with the cockpit voice recordings told Italy's Corriere della Sera that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal told First Officer Clive Kunder, 'The plane is in your hands,' moments before the plane left the runway. While it is not uncommon for a first officer to pilot a flight during takeoff, aviation experts have questioned the timing and circumstances of the handover. Flight data shows the aircraft took off at 1:38pm and remained airborne for just 30 seconds before it lost power and crashed into a residential area, killing 19 people on the ground. The sole survivor on board remains in critical condition. Investigators say the plane's engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff, and that the fuel control switches—critical to maintaining engine power—had been moved from the 'run' position to 'cutoff' within seconds of liftoff. According to India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), both switches were turned off and then switched back on about ten seconds later, but not in time to prevent the crash. The AAIB's preliminary report, released last week, confirmed that no mechanical or maintenance faults were found on the aircraft. However, the cause of the fuel cutoff remains under investigation. The switches are designed with safety locks that require manual lifting to operate, making an accidental flip highly unlikely. Cockpit audio captured in the seconds before the crash suggests rising tension between the two pilots. According to sources briefed on the U.S. assessment of the recordings, First Officer Kunder can be heard repeatedly asking, 'Why did you shut off the engines?' to which the senior pilot vaguely replied, 'I didn't do it.' The exchange, lasting six seconds, has been interpreted by some officials as an indirect admission that the captain may have cut the fuel supply. Flight data further reveals that after the aircraft reached approximately 650 feet, a backup power system—known as the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)—deployed, indicating both engines had lost power. Although the fuel switches were returned to 'run' and the engines attempted to restart, the aircraft lacked the altitude and time to recover. The jet clipped treetops and a chimney before crashing into a nearby medical college, erupting in flames. Aviation experts remain baffled by the switch movement. 'It's absolutely bizarre for the engine cutoff switches to be flipped just after takeoff,' said Terry Tozer, a former airline pilot, speaking to Sky News. 'Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines didn't have time to recover.' The AAIB has yet to identify which pilot flipped the switches, and cockpit audio alone has not definitively clarified the roles each pilot played in the final moments. U.S. officials reviewing the early data believe that as the flying pilot, First Officer Kunder would likely have had both hands on the Dreamliner's controls, suggesting Captain Sabharwal may have been responsible for manipulating the switches. Captain Sabharwal had logged over 15,000 hours of flight time, while Kunder had 3,400. According to colleagues cited in Indian media, Sabharwal had recently taken bereavement leave following his mother's death but had been medically cleared to fly. Some sources have raised questions regarding the mental health history of one of the pilots. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a prominent Indian aviation safety expert, told The Daily Telegraph that one pilot had previously taken extended medical leave for mental health reasons. However, this has not been confirmed by the authorities, and Air India maintains both pilots were fully certified for duty. India's Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, has urged the public to avoid premature conclusions. 'Let us wait for the final report,' he told reporters. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson echoed that message in an internal memo, stating that while the preliminary report found no mechanical issues, further investigation is required to determine the human factors involved. In response to the crash, Indian aviation authorities have ordered comprehensive checks across Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The airline operates 33 of the aircraft. The AAIB has not issued any immediate safety recommendations to Boeing or the engine manufacturer, General Electric. The agency criticised elements of the international media for 'selective and unverified reporting,' stating that the investigation remains ongoing and that drawing conclusions at this stage is premature. The final report into the crash is expected within 12 months, in line with international aviation standards.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Pilots: Deliberate ambiguity in report timeline to shift blame
1 2 Kolkata: Serving and retired pilots have expressed concern over what they term "deliberate" ambiguity in the timeline mentioned in the preliminary probe report by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the AI 171 crash. They allege this has been done to absolve the aircraft manufacturer of responsibility and pin the blame on the pilots. They also point out that the word "transition" of fuel switches used in the report attempts to insinuate that they were manually moved. "This is an American expression. In India, it would normally have been written: The switches were moved. It is the fuel valves that transition while the switches can move from RUN to CUT OFF or vice versa," a veteran pilot said. While several timelines are mentioned in the report, it is unclear at the crucial phase immediately after takeoff, when the two engines momentarily shut down after fuel flow stopped. AAIB provides the timestamp to the exact second for a number of actions. The aircraft started rolling at 8:07:37 UTC (13:37:37 IST, ie, 37 seconds past 1.37pm). The aircraft and ground sensors recorded the lift-off at 08:08:39 UTC (13:38:39 IST). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo It then states the aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots (333 kmph) at 08:08:42 UTC (13:38:42 IST). You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Thereafter, the timelines become unclear. It says immediately after, engine 1 and engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUT OFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 second. It then states: "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so." "When did all of this happen and in which sequence? That is a crucial segment of the flight when something catastrophic happened that took down the plane. It is not possible to move both switches from RUN to CUT OFF in a second. The SOP as laid down in the manual for reviving engines during a dual engine failure is to move the switches from RUN to CUT OFF and back to RUN. The pilots in the ill-fated aircraft did so and we know the engines were revived, but the plane crashed because it did not gain enough altitude to clear the buildings," another captain explained. The report goes on to state that CCTV footage obtained from the airport showed the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) getting deployed during the initial climb immediately after lift-off, but the time is not mentioned. The next timestamp is when the RAT hydraulic pump began supplying hydraulic power, 08:08:47 UTC (13:38:47 IST). A pilot pointed out that since the RAT takes around 7-8 seconds from auto deployment to begin functioning, the plane should have lost the engines around 08:08:40 UTC (13:38:40 IST). "If that is so, then how did the plane achieve the maximum airspeed 2 seconds later at 08:08:42 UTC (13:38:42 IST)?" he said. Another pilot said it was critical to know the exact conversation that took place in the cockpit from the start of the takeoff run to the Mayday call, adding: "This is not just for the sake of learning why flight AI 171 crashed but to ensure that another flight does not meet the same fate in future." Another captain also pointed out that both pilots were wearing headsets and spoke on different channels, as is mandatory procedure during takeoff. "Then why is there no clarity on who said what, it's available in the cockpit voice recorder?" he said.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Boeing Stock (NYSE:BA) Gains as Fuel Switches Pass Muster
Good news for aerospace stock Boeing (BA) emerged as the Air India crash just became a lot less like Boeing's fault. The fuel control switches recently passed safety checks with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), removing a major potential cause of the crash. That was good enough for investors, who gave Boeing shares a modest boost in Monday afternoon's trading. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. The fuel safety switches became a major part of the analysis of the Air India crash, especially after a preliminary report released from investigators noted that fuel to the Dreamliner's engines had been cut just moments after takeoff. This provided an excellent explanation for why the aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system deployed, but became a question in and of itself. Reports from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) note that the fuel cutoff switches had been moved from 'run' to 'cut-off.' Doing that accidentally is virtually impossible as the switches are specifically designed to protect against such accidents. The AAIB also noted a 2018 FAA advisory that urged airlines to check that locking feature to ensure the protection they provided was actually working. Air India did not take that advice to heart, reports noted. One Step Closer for the 777X Better yet, the 777X line is also getting closer to seeing service. While there are still several months between now and the official launch, some recent retooling work has brought Boeing one step closer. The 777X line is now on track to be certified this year. And with EIS approval next year, the 777X may finally start going into production and seeing wide use. The 777X line has already come a long way, with the GE9X engines requiring removal and return for an outright redesign due to 'technical issues.' Moreover, the software needed to be revamped as it was calling for '…uncommanded nose-down flight anomalies.' A full review of work on the 777X following the 2018 and 2019 737 Max crashes, and even the rise of COVID-19 itself, prompted further delays that are only now being fully addressed. But all this has been addressed, and now, the 777X is closer than ever to release. Is Boeing a Good Stock to Buy Right Now? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on BA stock based on 18 Buys, three Holds and one Sell assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 26.65% rally in its share price over the past year, the average BA price target of $233.25 per share implies 1.52% upside potential.
NDTV
5 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Deliberate Or Mechanical Flaw? Pilots vs Pilot Over Air India Crash Report
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report on its probe into the Air India crash on June 12, in which 260 people were killed, has stirred speculations and debates on two fronts. Firstly, whether there was a deliberate attempt made by the pilot to turn off the fuel switches from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' position during takeoff and secondly, the Wall Street Journal article, which came 20 hours and 8 minutes before the AAIB report was officially released, that focused on "Pilots' Actions and Plane's Fuel Switches". Earlier on NDTV, Captain Mohan Ranganathan, one of India's leading aviation experts and an ex-instructor of Boeing 737, made a stunning claim that the crash of AI171 may have been the result of deliberate human action because the fuel switches can only be moved "manually". However, former pilots and aviation experts have strongly opposed this view. In a roundtable of four aviation experts and ex-pilots, Mr Ranganathan's views were questioned, who stood by his claim of "deliberate manual selection". What Captain Ranganathan Said? On June 12, in an interview with NDTV, the aviation expert was asked if one of the pilots intentionally switched off the fuel, fully aware that doing so could cause a crash, to which Captain Ranganathan said, "Absolutely." On Monday, Mr Ranganathan reiterated his views and said, "The report (AAIB report) points to deliberate manual intervention. The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) report has said this; there was nothing wrong with the switches today. The switches can't slide back to cut off. So it has to be pulled out and moved back. So that is possible only with a manual intervention." The probe team from AAIB found the fuel switches in the RUN position at the crash site However, Mr Ranganathan has questioned the "wishy-washy" nature of the report, which only mentions one line from the pilot's interaction - One pilot asked, "Why did you cut off?" The other replied, "I didn't". He has called for the release of the full cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data, which will have the sequence of who said what when the fuel switches transitioned to 'CUTOFF'. Captain Ranganathan, however, never inferred that it was done intentionally by the pilot to crash the plane, though he did mention that one of the pilots had a "medical history" and was on medical leave earlier, which led to Dreamliner Pilot Opposes "Manual Intervention Argument" Captain Rakesh Rai shared insights on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's characteristics, his experience of flying the same aircraft, and his views on the AAIB report and the "suicide angle" being debated. "Even if they (AAIB) don't want to publish the RT transcript at this stage, it is difficult to digest that only two sentences were spoken in the cockpit. If you look at the picture, which was published in the report, the aircraft is barely 50 to 80 feet or maybe 100 feet above the ground, and the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) is already deployed. It means that something happened right at the time of rotation, when the aircraft is just starting, and the engines have failed," he said. Captain Rai highlighted an important part of the report - The words used by AAIB to describe 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF'. He said they have used the word "transition", adding, "In these modern aeroplanes, you don't need to cut off the fuel control switch. Everything is transmitted electronically. So, even if the fuel switch is in the run position, it can go into the cutoff position without moving the fuel control switch. The fuel can just shut off. If there is something wrong with the software, it commands the fuel shutoff valve to close. With the fuel control switch still in run position, the engines can shut down." An excerpt from the AAIB report is as follows: "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." Captain Ranganathan differed with Captain Rai and said, "You can hold both the switches, pull them out and move," to which the Dreamliner pilot said, "I do not agree with that." Captain Rai said, asking for a full transcript of the pilots' conversation in the cockpit, said, "The report does not talk about the timeline when this sentence, 'Why did you CUTOFF?', was spoken, and that's an important point. "This sentence may have been spoken at a time when they were trying to relight the engine. So, the other pilot may have asked, Did you cut it off? He said, No." "If the pilot had done it deliberately, then there must have been a solid argument in the pilots will not keep quiet, right? There must have been a solid argument in the cockpit. Why did he do it? And you are going to kill all of us," he added. Manual Intervention? "Absolutely Absurd," Says Expert Captain Kishore Chinta, a chief pilot at Sirius India Airlines, strongly opposed Mr Ranganathan's views and said, "I find it absolutely absurd to say that the pilots planned to deliberately turn the switches off. For the simple reason that even if we go by the paraphrased, one sentence in the report, which says that one pilot asked, it is indicative of a surprise element, that it surprised one pilot, and the other pilot answered, Hey, I didn't do it. "The report is absolutely silent and paraphrasing in terms of the selective release of information. If there was a timestamp of each event with what happened in the cockpit in terms of warnings, what was the altitude, what was the engine parameters at that time, followed by cockpit voice recorder, CAM 1, CAM 2, the interaction between the pilots or any warnings picked up, all these would have given us a more, you know, clearer picture on if there was any deliberate action," he said. "Nobody is deliberating on the fact that these switches can be moved uncommanded? Everyone is saying they can only be physically moved. The only reason those switches are recycled is to reset the EEC logic. The electronic engine control logic is reset in case of a dual engine failure to reactivate the start cycle, the igniters and the fuel metering unit; all these logics are reset. If we go by the theory that it was a suicide, why even touch those switches? Takeover controls and just flip the wings over." Squat Switch And Landing Gears Captain MR Wadia, the President of the Federation of Indian Pilots, did not agree with the "manual intervention" argument and explained why the landing gear of the aircraft did not go up when the aircraft was airborne. Captain Wadia said, "As the aircraft is about to take off, the power, everything is fine. There's enough power and enough speed to get the aircraft airborne. However, as he (Captain Ranganathan) pointed out, the first call is positive, radar climb gear up, now, that is a normal call, and I presume the pilot who was supposed to call has called that thing. But why hasn't the gear gone up?" "The reason for this is the squat switch. All aircraft today, whether it's Boeing or Airbus, have something called the squat switch, an electrical switch, that identifies whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air. Even if you by mistake pull the undercarriage lever switch won't allow it to go up because it is indicating to the computer system that the aircraft is still on the ground." The other aspect in the other, which Captain Wadia stressed upon, was the deployment of RAT or Ram Air Turbine - a propeller that gives emergency power to an aircraft for navigation. Captain Wadia said only these two pieces of evidence are present, and "why would we presume a suicide angle to this?" "Were the fuel switches touched? Yes, but after they were in CUTOFF position and were moved to RUN position," he said, adding that we should go by the pilot's word when he said 'I did not cutoff'. YN Sharma, CEO of Chimes Aviation, said, "The only thing we are getting from the report is that the action of both switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF is a deliberate action. If there is a software issue, and the supply is cut off from the back, but that won't physically move the switch. For that, you need a hand that will physically move the needs to be investigated what prompted that action." He said that as per the information Flight Data Recorder (FDR), the switches were moved from RUN to CUTOFF, and then a few seconds later, they were moved back to the RUN position. Almost five seconds later, the pilot gave a 'MAYDAY' call, and then the aircraft crashed. "This is a preliminary this point, we should have the full transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and FDR Data in the public domain. You have these many data points and this is a preliminary report," Mr Sharma said. 'Who Gets Benefit From This Narrative?' Captain Chintan concluded by saying, "Even the deliberation that the pilot did something is a great disservice to them because they are not there to defend themselves, and also to the family members who lost their loved ones." "What we need to understand is who is getting benefits from this narrative?" he asked. "Does it benefit the Indian aviation regulator, the aviation community or the manufacturer? That will answer all your questions." Referring to the WSJ report, he said, "Why this narrative is being pushed by the western media and where the money is. It benefits the insurers by blaming the pilots and the manufacturers by taking away the liability from them." The AAIB mentioned there was a known FAA advisory from 2018 on a possible fuel switch flaw that existed, but inspections were not done by Air India. The airline's CEO, Campbell Wilson, said the report found no mechanical or maintenance issue with the doomed aircraft or its engines. A Reuters report said that the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe. "The FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing aeroplane models, including the Model 787," the Reuters report said. Two hundred and sixty people died in the crash, including 241 passengers. Only one flier on seat 11A survived but battles trauma from the June 12. The report does not clearly define whether the switches were deliberately moved or if it was a mechanical flaw, but families are still waiting for answers while mourning the loss of their loved ones.
India.com
7 days ago
- General
- India.com
Air India Crash: How did engines fail, why its not mentioned in....? expert raises questions on report
Air India Crash: How did engines fail, why its not mentioned in…? expert raises questions on report Air India Plane Crash: More than a month has passed, but the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad still remains a mystery. The initial report released by the investigation agency not only seems incomplete, but answers to several questions related to the accident are still to be found. Former Indian Air Force officer and aviation expert Sanjeev Kapoor has raised serious questions about the recently published report. He stated that it is still a mystery what actually happened in the cockpit. Is The AAIB Report Incomplete? Kapoor has raised serious questions on the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report, terming it incomplete. He has also raised questions on the delay of publishing the report. During an interview with India Today, he stated that no pilot gives a 'Mayday' call so easily. The Mayday call means the situation was very gruesome and there is no doubt that both the engines had failed. He raised the question how both the engines failed? The report doesn't mention about engines failure. How The Fuel Supply Was Cut Off? Not Mentioned In The Report? The AAIB report states that, few seconds before the crash, the pilot sent a distress call back-to-back three times. As mentioned in the report, the plane took off at 1:38:39 pm (IST) and just 26 seconds later at 08:09:05, the pilot gave the emergency message 'MAYDAY… MAYDAY… MAYDAY…' three times. As per the conversation recorded in the cockpit voice recorder, one pilot questions the other – 'Why did you stop the fuel supply?' The other pilot replied I did not stop it. The report says that the fuel control switches (of both engines) changed from 'run' to 'cutoff' mode in the same second. As the fuel was cut off, the engines stopped immediately, and the plane lost altitude, leading to the deadly crash. Sanjeev Kapoor raised questions that it is absurd that any sensible pilot would turn off the fuel himself after take-off. The pilot flew the plane manually, he then then it to 170 degrees and turned off the engine? He said this does not match any logic. Why Is The Information In The Report Incomplete? Raising questions on the delay in the investigation. Kapoor said the cockpit data was downloaded three weeks ago, so why did it take 20 days for the report to publish. The information in the report is incomplete. He said a more in-depth analysis should have been done if the authorities took such a long time. RAT System Was Activated, But Only One Engine Could Start A preliminary investigation by the AAIB indicates that following engine failure, the aircraft's emergency Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system automatically deployed, supplying some hydraulic power. While the crew attempted to restart both engines, only one was successfully restarted. But the aircraft lost altitude and speed. This resulted in a crash into a hostel building full of students. System Failure Under Investigation The report mentions that a probe of the pilot's mental condition, automation system failure and fuel supply system is still underway. Experts say that deliberate switching off of the fuel control switch might hints technical problems, automatic system malfunctions, or other unspecified factors which are not mentioned in the current report. The investigation is still underway.
