
'Bias toward pilot error': Pilots Association raises concerns over Air India crash report; demands transparency
in Ahmedabad, saying the investigation seems to assume that the pilots were responsible for the accident.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry," ALPA India president Sam Thomas said in a statement.
The association also pointed to a "lack of transparency" in the process. "Investigations continue to be shrouded in secrecy, undermining credibility and public trust. Qualified, experienced personnel—especially line pilots—are still not being included in the investigation team," the statement said.
A preliminary report has found that the fuel supply to both engines of Air India flight AI171 was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to ground almost immediately after taking off.
The 15-page report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied.
ALPA referred to a Wall Street Journal article published on July 10 that reported the crash may have involved the movement of the engine fuel control switches.
The association questioned how such information was leaked to the media before the official release of the report. "A July 10 article in The Wall Street Journal references inadvertent movement of the fuel control switches. ALPA-I questions how such sensitive investigative details were leaked to international media," the statement read.
ALPA also criticised the AAIB for releasing documents without proper official identification.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"ALPA-I is concerned that the preliminary AAIB report has been shared with the media without any responsible official signature or attribution," it said.
The association again requested to be allowed to participate in the investigation process. "ALPA-I renews its request to be included, at the very least, as observers in the investigation process to ensure transparency and accountability."
On June 12, a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, hitting a medical college hostel.
The crash killed 241 of the 242 people onboard and 19 people on the ground, making it the deadliest aviation accident in a decade.
According to a timeline in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report, both engine fuel control switches—which are used to shut down the engines—were moved to the cutoff position almost immediately after takeoff. The report did not mention how this happened or who was responsible.
Soon after the fuel control switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one second apart, a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) pump was deployed to provide hydraulic power as both engines dropped below idle speed.
About 10 seconds later, the fuel control switch for Engine 1 was moved back to RUN, followed by Engine 2 four seconds later. The pilots managed to relight both engines, but only Engine 1 regained power. Engine 2 did not build enough thrust to stop the plane's descent.
One of the pilots made a "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" call, but before air traffic control could respond, the aircraft clipped some trees and crashed just outside the airport boundary into a hostel occupied by students.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
26 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Tomorrow's Independence Day, not 'us vs them' day
We all want Independence Day to be safe and secure tomorrow. But much of I-Day has morphed from a spontaneous public celebration into a day of paranoid, xenophobic vigil. This week, a national-level skater and his father were denied a hotel room in Noida, because they were Bengali. The hotel staff reportedly explained to the two Kolkatans that the police had instructed them not to allow people from 'Bangladesh, Punjab, or Jammu and Kashmir to stay until August 15' and that 'people from Bangladesh' and Bengalis from West Bengal were the 'same thing'. Noida Police has denied giving any such instruction. Be that as it may, this is a genie that authorities have to put back in the bottle, ever since Delhi Police issued its infamous July 29 notification conflating Bengalis and (illegally residing) like this, however stray, show how dog whistling - seemingly innocuous messaging, but containing a covert instruction - is becoming normalised among a pliant, willing citizenry. Last month in Gurgaon, a 'verification drive' targeting illegal Bangladeshi immigrants led to migrant Indian Muslim workers being detained. Such paranoid binary thinking - 'them' vs 'us' - vitiates the very spirit of I-Day. It replaces trust and unity with suspicion and division, patriotic pride with paranoia. Worse, it seeps beyond August 15, feeding dangerous narratives India 2025 can well do without. GoI should issue a clear directive stating that valid IDs should suffice for hotel check-ins - which can, anyway, be verified with police if need be. The least it can do is condemn such divisive messagings before tomorrow, when all Indians celebrate freedom from a time when such nefarious conflations were the hallmark of colonial divide and rule. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Regulatory gray area makes investing in LVMH, BP tough For Indian retail How IDBI banker landed plush Delhi properties in Amtek's INR33k crore skimming As 50% US tariff looms, 6 key steps that can safeguard Indian economy Jane Street blow pushes Indian quants to ancient Greek idea to thrive Stock Radar: Astra Microwave showing signs of bottoming out after 16% fall from highs; time to buy? F&O Radar | Deploy Broken Wing in Paytm to play stock's bullish outlook These 9 banking stocks can give more than 28% returns in 1 year, according to analysts Why 2025 Could Be The Astrological Turning Point We've Been Waiting For


Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
UP DGP calls for heightened security for I-Day, Janmashtami celebrations
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajiv Krishna on Wednesday issued detailed instructions to maintain high vigilance and ensure effective law and order arrangements across the state in view of Independence Day celebrations on August 15 and the Janmashtami festival the next day. UP DGP calls for heightened security for I-Day, Janmashtami celebrations According to an official statement, the DGP has directed district and commissionerate police chiefs to list all the major programmes including flag marches, Tiranga rallies, and cultural events and make comprehensive security and traffic arrangements accordingly. Anti-sabotage checks have been mandated at all venues, along with roof-top deployment, strict access control at entry and exit points, and planned traffic diversions. The DGP asked to intensify security at railway and Metro stations, bus terminals, airports, cinema halls, shopping malls, hotels, guest houses, religious sites and other crowded locations. Continuous checking at state and district borders, functional CCTV surveillance and strict briefing of check-post staff have been emphasised. The DGP also instructed close monitoring of microlight aircraft, drones, paragliders and other unmanned aerial objects, prohibiting all unauthorised flights. Local intelligence units and social media cells have been activated to track activities of banned or extremist organisations, with directives for immediate preventive action wherever required. The district police forces have been told to verify tenants in the residential colonies, curb illegal arms and explosives trafficking, and ensure coordination with the civil magistrates, municipal bodies and utility departments for smooth conduct of Janmashtami events. Organisers of temple festivals, processions and fairs are to be engaged in advance meetings to resolve logistical issues, the directive said. All sensitive and communally vulnerable areas will have enhanced police deployment, flag marches and foot patrolling under the supervision of gazetted officers, the statement said. Videography and drone surveillance of processions have been made mandatory, along with the use of bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs wherever necessary. The instructions also include ensuring women's safety through plainclothes deployment, keeping riot-control equipment ready, and maintaining police/PAC reserves at the district headquarters. Round-the-clock monitoring of social media platforms has also been ordered to counter misinformation or inflammatory content. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.


Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Thought she was being kidnapped': New Zealand woman, 6-year-old son detained in US after Canada trip
A New Zealand woman and her six-year-old son have spent the past three weeks in a US immigration detention facility after being stopped at the Canada-US border, a situation her advocate describe as a 'terrifying' and unnecessary ordeal. Sarah Shaw, 33, has lived in Washington state for just over three years, working at a maximum security juvenile facility while raising her three children. On 24 July, she drove her two eldest children to Vancouver airport so they could fly directly to New Zealand for a holiday with their grandparents. But when Shaw attempted to return to the US with her youngest son, she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Besancon, ICE confiscated Shaw's phone and transported the pair to the Dilley immigration processing centre in south Texas, thousands of kilometres from their home and support networks. Similar transfers have been reported under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, leaving detainees far from family and legal representation. 'It has been absolutely horrible,' Besancon said, The Guardian quoted her as saying. 'Aside from the staff, Sarah and her son are the only English speakers, are locked in their shared bedroom from 8pm to 8am and are not allowed to wear their own clothes. It really is kind of like being in jail … it has been absolutely devastating and it's kind of barbaric.' Shaw holds a 'combo card' — an employment visa linked to her work, and an I-360 visa for domestic violence survivors. She had recently received confirmation of her visa renewal but did not realise the I-360 portion was still pending approval. 'It wasn't until she tried to come back across the border that she realised only half of the combination card – because it's only one physical card – had been fully approved,' Besancon explained. Besancon said border officials could have granted Shaw humanitarian parole instead of detaining her, and alleged that her youngest son — whose I-360 visa has been approved — is being held 'illegally'. 'It's so heartbreaking now to see people who, like Sarah, are not only legal, but who are contributing to American society,' Besancon said. 'She gives therapy and counselling to some of our most at risk youth … and to be treated like a criminal herself has just been absolutely devastating.' Shaw's case adds to a growing list of foreigners, including visitors from the UK, Germany, Canada and Australia, who have been detained or deported despite holding valid visas. As per the report by The Guardian, Washington Federation of State Employees, which represents Shaw, has demanded her release. 'The trauma this has already caused for her and her son may never be healed,' said union president Mike Yestramski. 'We vehemently oppose Ice practices and the broader immigration policies that enable them as they contradict American values and human rights.' New Zealand's foreign affairs ministry confirmed it is in contact with Shaw but declined to comment further due to privacy concerns.