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The Wire
14-07-2025
- The Wire
Ahmedabad Crash: Pilots' Bodies Decry 'Tone' of Preliminary Report, Insinuation of Pilot Error
'To casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession,' Indian Commercial Pilots Association said. Wreckage of the crashed Air India plane in Ahmedabad. Photo: PTI New Delhi: The Indian Commercial Pilots Association is among pilots' bodies which have condemned insinuation of pilot error in the aftermath of the release of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary investigation report into the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171. The preliminary report put the toll at 260 lives, including 241 of the 242 people on board, including the two pilots. A key point in the report that many have latched on to is that the two engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' position one after another with a time gap of less than a second. In the cockpit voice recording, the findings revealed, one of the pilots can be heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot responded that he did not. There is no detail on the pilots' conversation before and after these lines. As noted by Reuters, it did not identify which remarks were made by the flight's captain and which by the first officer, nor which pilot transmitted "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" just before the crash. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association has around 1,000 pilots employed in scheduled airlines in India. It called the suggestions that pilot suicide was the reason behind the crash 'reckless and unfounded', reports Indian Express, in addition to being 'irresponsible' and 'deeply insensitive'. The association called upon media organisations and commentators to act with "restraint, empathy, and respect for due process." It noted that the crew of the plane deserved support, not "vilification based on conjecture." 'To casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession," it said. The plane was commanded by 56-year-0ld Sumeet Sabharwal whose flying experience comprised 15,638 hours, and 32-year-old Clive Kunder who had 3,403 hours of experience. The Airline Pilots' Association of India, has also criticised the report for its 'tone and direction' that suggested 'bias towards pilot error'. "ALPA-I categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry,' ALPA-I president Sam Thomas said, according to the Express report. The pilots' body also reiterated its request to be included 'at the very least, as observers' in the air crash investigation. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
'Bias toward pilot error': Pilots Association raises concerns over Air India crash report; demands transparency
NEW DELHI: The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) on Saturday raised concerns over the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) preliminary report on the 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.
