Final report of AI plane crash should be definitive
This is a vital piece of evidence, as it essentially indicates that both engines stopped receiving fuel in rapid succession, leading to a total loss of thrust. However, the report stops short of explaining why this happened. Did the transition occur due to manual pilot input or a mechanical failure? This critical question remains unanswered, leaving a major gap in understanding the sequence of events that led to the crash. The report rules out a range of common contributing factors such as adverse weather conditions, bird strikes, incorrect aircraft configuration, contaminated fuel, and pre-existing issues with the engines that were known earlier on. This narrows the potential causes to a few possibilities, but without pinpointing whether human error or technical malfunction was responsible for the fuel cutoff, the report leaves a crucial ambiguity unresolved. The response of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) India to the preliminary report has only served to deepen skepticism. ALPA has publicly criticised the findings, stating that the report hints at 'the guilt of pilots.' This response reflects a broader concern within the aviation community: that the preliminary report, while ostensibly factual, may contain implications that are neither proven nor fair.
In the absence of definitive evidence, implying pilot culpability—whether through omission or ambiguity—will not only damage reputations but also derail the broader safety learning that should be the primary outcome of any such investigation. It is essential that investigations focus on establishing fact-based causes and not stray into speculative territory. Aviation safety experts have also pointed out that investigations should aim not just at identifying the causes and those responsible but at preventing future occurrences. From this perspective, the preliminary report would have been more helpful had it provided a clearer roadmap of the investigative steps ahead, especially regarding the analysis of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), and the potential examination of the aircraft's electronic and mechanical systems. What remains now is the hope that the final report will bring greater clarity, accountability, and closure. For the families of the victims, the aviation industry, and the traveling public, the credibility of the AAIB's conclusions is of utmost importance. A transparent, technically sound, and impartial investigation is a sine qua non of institutional responsibility.
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Air India CEO says investigation into Ahmedabad crash raises new questions
By Aditya Kalra and Chandini Monnappa Air India CEO says investigation into Ahmedabad crash raises new questions NEW DELHI -A preliminary investigation into the crash of an Air India passenger jet last month that killed 260 people raises additional questions about the incident and the investigation is far from over, Air India's CEO said in a memo on Monday. The preliminary investigation released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday depicted confusion in the cockpit shortly before the crash of the Boeing Dreamliner. In a staff memo reviewed by Reuters, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the report had "triggered a new round of speculation in the media ... Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions." He added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over." The memo said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff. All but one of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground were killed. According to the AAIB report, in the flight's final moments one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. "The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report said. It added that the plane's engine two fuel cutoff switches flipped almost simultaneously, but did not say how. The preliminary report suggested no immediate action for Boeing or GE, whose engines were fitted on the aircraft. ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the Montreal-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations, has rejected any presumption of pilot error and called for a "fair, fact-based inquiry". "The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status," Campbell said in his memo. The commanding pilot of the Air India plane was Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, who had a total flying experience of 15,638 hours and, according to the Indian government, was also an Air India instructor. His co-pilot was Clive Kunder, 32, who had 3,403 hours of total experience. Air India has come under heightened scrutiny on multiple fronts following the crash. On July 4, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it would investigate budget unit Air India Express, after a Reuters report revealed the airline failed to promptly replace engine parts on an Airbus A320 as mandated, and falsified records to indicate compliance. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
Ahmedabad crash report found ‘no mechanical or maintenance issues' with aircraft: Air India CEO
The preliminary report released on Saturday by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on the Ahmedabad plane crash did not find any mechanical or maintenance issues with the Boeing aircraft or its engines, The Hindu quoted Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson as saying. In an internal communication to Air India employees, Wilson said that every Boeing 787 aircraft in the airline's fleet was checked within days of the June 12 crash and all were found fit for service. 'We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest,' the newspaper quoted him as saying. The plane crash on June 12 killed at least 275 persons and was said to be the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. In its preliminary report released on Saturday, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that moments after the aircraft took off, its fuel control switches transitioned from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within a second of each other, because of which both engines shut down. The report said that one of the pilots could be heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he shut down the fuel, in response to which the other pilot said that he did not. After a gap of about 10 seconds, the switches went back to the 'RUN' position, in what appeared to be an attempt by the pilots to regain thrust in the engines. Subsequently, one of the engines progressed to recovery and deceleration stopped. But deceleration could not be stopped on the second engine. The flight lasted for about 30 seconds from the lift-off to the crash, said the report. In the internal communication, Wilson said that the report 'provided both greater clarity' and 'opened additional questions'. He also advised employees not to focus on the 'ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines'. 'I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,' he said. He assured that the airline would cooperate with the investigation process to ensure a 'thorough and comprehensive enquiry', The Indian Express reported. Wilson added that there was 'no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll' and that the 'pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status'. Air India's top priorities continue to be 'standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world', he said. On June 12, Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which was en route to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad, crashed just 33 seconds after taking off. There were 242 people aboard the aircraft. One passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. Thirty-four persons were also killed on the ground after the plane crashed into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, according to Air India. DGCA orders fuel switches checks The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Monday directed all domestic airlines operating Boeing aircraft to inspect key fuel control switch mechanisms on their fleets by July 21, CNBC-TV 18 reported. 'Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations,' the order added. The aviation watchdog's order cited a 2018 United States Federal Aviation Administration advisory that warned of a fuel switch malfunction on certain aircraft manufactured by Boeing. DGCA orders all airline operators to carry out inspection of the fuel control switch for disengagement of lock no later than 21st July 2025. This is as per the FAA order of December 2018. For 737s, 787s and others — Jagriti Chandra (@jagritichandra) July 14, 2025 On Saturday, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways had also ordered its pilots to ' exercise caution ' while operating the fuel control switches on Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet, while also ordering an inspection of their locking mechanism, The Hindu reported. The directive had advised pilots to ensure that no objects were placed on the pedestal that could cause any inadvertent movement.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Air India CEO says crash probe raises more questions, premature to jump to any conclusion
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The preliminary report into the crash of Air India flight AI171 last month has raised more questions, the airline's CEO said as he defended the fitness of pilots and aircraft saying no mechanical or maintenance issues have been flagged in the report. Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said the probe into the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, which killed all but one of the 242 onboard and 19 others on ground, was far from over and it is unwise to jump to any premature conclusions. "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions," he said in an internal memo to airline staff. He said there were no issues with fuel quality or takeoff roll and that the pilots had passed mandatory pre-fight breathalyser tests. Amid speculation in various quarters about the reasons for the fatal crash that killed 260 people on June 12, the Air India chief said the preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations and urged everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday released its preliminary report on the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane. The aircraft, which was operating the flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a building soon after takeoff. In a message to Air India staff, Wilson said "the release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions". He noted that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed. "There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the takeoff roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status," he said. Further, Wilson said out of an abundance of caution and under the oversight of regulator DGCA, every Boeing 787 aircraft operating in our fleet was checked within days of the accident and all were found fit for service. "We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest," he added. The airline, he said, will continue to co-operate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive enquiry. Over the past 30 days, he said there has been an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines, many of which have later been disproven. "Until a final report or cause is tabled, there will no doubt be new rounds of speculation and more sensational headlines... Let us not be diverted from what are our top priorities: standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world," Wilson said. He also stressed that the airline must remain focused on its task and be true to the values of integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation, and teamwork. The AAIB report said the fuel supply to both engines of flight AI171 was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to the ground almost immediately after taking off. The 15-page report also said in the cockpit voice recording, an unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied. On Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the crew of the AI171 flight that crashed last month acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions, and the pilots should not be vilified based on conjecture. Former AAIB chief Aurobindo Handa, on Sunday, said it will be too premature to draw conclusions on the role of pilots from the preliminary investigation report into the fatal crash of the Air India plane last month and the final report will mention about the most probable cause for the accident.
