
Air India plane crash: Previous crew logged defect report related to flight's stabilizer sensor, reveals probe findings
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The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary findings on the fatal Air India Boeing 787-8 crash reveal that the flight's previous crew had reported a stabilizer sensor defect earlier on the same day of the accident that killed 241 onboard the Boeing aircraft.Following the defect report, Air India's on-duty maintenance engineer conducted troubleshooting, and the aircraft was cleared for flight."The Flight AI171 had arrived in Ahmedabad earlier that day as AI423 from Delhi. The previous crew had logged a defect report related to a stabilizer sensor ('STAB POS XDCR'). Air India's on-duty maintenance engineer conducted troubleshooting, and the aircraft was cleared for flight," said the report.In its 15-page report, the investigation bureau said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, "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"."In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," it said.The aircraft quickly began to lose altitude.The switches then returned to the "RUN" position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'", the report said.Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but then saw the plane crashing and called emergency personnel to the scene.Air India was compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report said.The investigations bureau said there were "no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers", suggesting no technical issues with the engines (GE) or the aircraft (Boeing).Boeing said in a statement it will "continue to support the investigation and our customer", adding "our thoughts remain" with those affected by the disaster.The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stipulates that states heading an investigation must submit a preliminary report within 30 days of an accident.

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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: Pilots slam 'deliberate' ambiguity in report timeline
Air India crash KOLKATA: Serving and retired pilots have expressed concern over what they term "deliberate" ambiguity in the timeline mentioned in the preliminary probe report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the AI 171 crash. They allege this has been done to absolve the aircraft manufacturer of any responsibility in the accident and pin the blame on the dead 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 pointed out. While several timelines are mentioned in the report, it is unclear during the crucial phase immediately after takeoff when the two engines momentarily shut down after fuel flow stopped, leading to the crash. The 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, i.e., 37 seconds past 1:37 pm). The aircraft and ground sensors recorded the liftoff at 08:08:39 UTC (13:38:39 IST). It then states the aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots (333 km/h) at about 08:08:42 UTC (13:38:42 IST). Thereafter, the timelines become unclear. It says immediately thereafter, engine 1 and engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF 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.' You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "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 revived but the plane crashed because it did not gain enough altitude to clear the buildings," another experienced 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 at about 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, then 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 questioned. Another pilot said it is critical to know the exact conversation that took place in the cockpit from the start of the takeoff run to the Mayday call to know what the pilots were experiencing in the cockpit before the crash. "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 the future," a pilot said. Another captain also pointed out that both pilots in the ill-fated flight were wearing headsets and they spoke on different channels, as is the mandatory procedure during takeoff. "Then why is there no clarity on who said what because it's available in the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)?" he questioned.

Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Who Cut the Fuel? Inside the Mystery of the Air India 171 Cockpit Audio
'Why did you cut off the fuel?' That chilling cockpit question echoes across aviation corridors after Air India Flight 171 crashed 90 seconds after takeoff, killing all 260 on board. The AAIB's preliminary report suggests both fuel switches were turned off mid-air, but was it pilot error, a design flaw, or a systemic failure ignored for years? Families are calling it a cover-up. Pilots demand fairness. Experts say the story doesn't add up. In this video, we break down the crash timeline, the controversial FAA advisory from 2018, and the cockpit voice recorder transcript that's now triggering global outrage. Was this preventable? Who should be held accountable? Why wasn't the FAA alert acted upon?#airindia171 #fuelcutoffmystery #boeing787crash #aircrashinvestigation #cockpitrecorder #aviationnews #airindia #boeing #planecrash #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews


Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
RUHS Counselling 2025: Round 1 seat allotment result to be released today at ruhscuet2025.com; check steps to download and more
Online Registration Choice Filling and Locking Mock Seat Allotment (for trial purposes) Final Seat Allotment Seat Confirmation and Fee Payment Document Verification at the allotted college Event Dates Allotment Letter Publishing July 16, 2025 Print Allotment Letter July 16 to July 22, 2025 Reporting to Allotted College July 16 to July 22, 2025 Document Submission July 16 to July 22, 2025 Live Events How to Check RUHS Round 1 Seat Allotment Result 2025? Class 12 (10+2) Marksheet Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar, School ID, PAN, Voter ID, Driving Licence, Govt./PSU ID) Passport-size Photographs Proof of ₹50,000 fee payment Proof of Date of Birth (Class 10 certificate or birth certificate) Rajasthan Domicile Certificate (if applicable) Caste Certificate (if applicable) PwD Certificate (if applicable) EWS Certificate (if applicable) Migration Certificate (if applicable) (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) will publish the Round 1 Seat Allotment Result for RUHS Counselling 2025 today, July 16, 2025. Students who have completed the counselling process and submitted their college choices can view their results on the official website: If a student is allotted a seat, they must download essential documents such as the allotment letter, registration form, and other related papers. To confirm the seat, a counselling fee of ₹50,000 must be paid between July 16 and July 22, who are not allotted a seat or are dissatisfied with their allotment can participate in the Round 2 counselling, with the next seat allotment result set to be announced on August 1, these steps to view and download your RUHS CUET 2025 seat allotment result:Step 1: Visit the official site: 2: Click on the link labelled 'RUHS CUET 2025 Counselling Seat Allotment Result'Step 3: Enter your application number and date of birthStep 4: The seat allotment result will appear on your screenStep 5: Download and print the allotment letter for future referenceCandidates allotted a seat in Round 1 must report to their assigned college for document verification. The following documents are required:Make sure to carry original copies along with photocopies for verification.