AI 171 crash probe: Ground handling agencies at SVPI airport questioned
Ahmedabad: Ground handling agencies at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport are under scrutiny by multiple investigation agencies as part of the ongoing probe into the crash of Air India flight AI 171 last week.
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The investigation, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), is being conducted with support from Gujarat Police, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A parallel probe has been initiated by the United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), bringing international aviation experts to the crash site in Ahmedabad.
"All personnel involved in ground handling operations for the ill-fated flight were questioned, and their statements recorded," said a source familiar with the investigation.
"Phones of key staff members who cleared the aircraft for take-off were seized for further examination."
A comprehensive, multi-agency probe is underway to determine the cause of the crash. Investigators reportedly obtained CCTV footage from airport premises and are not ruling out the possibility of sabotage. On June 12, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed moments after take-off from SVPI Airport, killing 241 of the 242 on board.
Investigating teams have since recovered the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).
These are crucial pieces of evidence, which will help identify what led to the crash of AI 171. A CVR records cockpit sounds, including pilot conversations, alarms and sounds of engine and switches clicking.
The DFDR, on the other hand, logs hours of flight parameters such as speed, altitude, thrust, flap positions, autopilot inputs, acceleration, lift and landing gear movements.
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According to officials, the pilot issued a Mayday call shortly before the aircraft lost contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) at SVPI airport.
Officials from Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the NTSB, and UK-based aviation experts are now in Ahmedabad as part of the probe. The NTSB, in accordance with the international protocol, is investigating the crash independently due to the aircraft's American origin. This is the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed. The US agency, an independent federal body, is tasked with determining the causes of civil aviation accidents and recommending preventive measures.
Union minister Murlidhar Mohol on Tuesday confirmed that a report from the central govt-appointed inquiry panel will be submitted within three months.
— With inputs from
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