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First Post
17-07-2025
- First Post
Don't jump to conclusions, Air India crash probe is on: AIIB cautions against media speculation
In the wake of media reports about the Air India crash's investigation, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has said that the media and the public should wait for the final report after the completion of the investigation and stressed that no conclusions can be drawn at this stage of the probe. read more A part of the Air India plane near the medical hostel it crashed into in Ahmedabad. File image/PTI In the wake of media reports about the investigation into the crash of Air India flight last month, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has said that the media and the public should wait for the final report after the completion of the investigation. The AAIB is the designated Indian agency to investigate air accident. It is currently investigating the Air India AI-171 crash on June 12 in Gujarat's Ahmedabad in which 260 people, including 241 of 241 people aboard and 19 people on the ground, were killed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In line with the obligation under the Chicago Convention, the AAIB published the preliminary report into the investigation last week. Independent experts have raised questions at the report and media have discussed various aspects of the reports, such as the report paraphrasing the critical conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit and not using their exact words. Moreover, the report did not mention which pilot said what. In a statement on Thursday, AAIB Director General GVG Yugandhar said, 'It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting. Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing. We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process.' Yugandhar also sought to assure that no conclusions can be reached at the current stage of the investigation and the final report will have root causes as well as recommendations. The AAIB's statement came within a day of Wall Street Journal reporting that the conduct of senior pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, was in focus in the investigation. The recording between Sabharwal and the first officer, Clive Kunder, indicates that it was the captain who turned off switches that stopped the supply of fuel to the aeroplane's two engines, the newspaper reported people familiar with US officials' early assessment of evidence as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The persons quoted above told the newspaper that Kunder asked Sabharwal why he had switched off the fuel supply switches in a state of panic whereas Sabharwal replied calmly. Notably, the AAIB's preliminary report paraphrased this exchange between the two pilots and did not mention who said what. '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,' the preliminary report said.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
"Don't think report is ok": Aviation expert Sanat Kaul questions AI 171 crash report, calls for pilot inclusion in probe panel
Aviation expert Sanat Kaul on Sunday raised concerns over the preliminary report of the Air India 171 crash investigation, stating that it is "not ok." He emphasised the need for pilots to be included in the probe panel, as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation 's (ICAO) charter. "Well the report, with the National Emblem, from the Ministry of Civil Aviation is not signed, that is correct. It should have been signed. But I don't think the report is ok. We should wait for the final report, and the final report may not align with the preliminary report; there can be several changes in the final report," Kaul told here. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3BHK Transformation Possible for ₹4.5 Lakh? HomeLane Get Quote Undo Kaul stressed that a pilot familiar with Boeing 787 systems or at least 737 experience should be part of the investigation team. He called for the implementation of Annex 13 of ICAO's charter, outlining procedures for plane crash investigations. "The other is that in these investigations the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) charter has to be implemented. There has to be a team, experts. So they have a contention that no pilot is in the team, there has to be a pilot who is conversant with Boeing 787 aircraft. If they can't find a pilot with that experience, then they should have someone (having experience) with atleast (Boeing) 737," Kaul said. Live Events The Aviation expert's remarks comes after the Federation of Indian Pilots and the Airline Pilots' Association of India also raised doubts over the preliminary report, saying that "qualified, experienced personnel, especially pilots" are not being included in the team of experts. Kaul and the Airline Pilots' Association of India emphasised the need for qualified, experienced personnel, especially pilots, to be included in the investigation team. India is a signatory of the ICAO Chicago Convention (1944), the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on June 26 that the investigation is happening "in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017." The multi-disciplinary probe committee formed by the Central government is chaired by the Union Home Secretary and includes Secretary Ministry of Civil Aviation, Senior Officials from Home Ministry, Officials of Home Department and State Disaster Response Authority of Gujarat, Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad, Director General of Inspection and Safety in the Indian Air Force and Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. Earlier, commenting on the June 12th AI 171 crash, the Airline Pilots' Association of India said, "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." "The report was leaked to media without any responsible official signature or attribution. There is lack of transparency in investigation as 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 association added. The crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, claimed 260 lives, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground on June 12.
Mint
12-07-2025
- General
- Mint
Air India Ahmedabad crash probe: 5 things to know from the preliminary report
A month after the horrific crash of an Air India Dreamliner at Ahmedabad, the AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) has released its preliminary report to the public. While analysts have been vocal about the preliminary report, the report only dwells over the fact and in most cases does not point to the WHY and HOW of the crash, rather looking at WHAT. The rest is part of the investigation which takes longer. The Annex 13 of Chicago Convention, to which India is a signatory, mandates that states in charge of an investigation must submit a preliminary report to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) within thirty days of the date of the accident. Preliminary reports can be marked confidential and it depends on the investigation state's discretion if they should be made public. ICAO also mandates that the final report should be made publicly available as soon as possible and if possible within twelve months. However, these are advisories and not rules. Recently China is reported to have refused making the crash report of China Eastern flight MU5735 public citing (it could) 'endanger national security and societal stability'. The last two crashes in India have been the Air India Express crash at Kozhikode on 7 August 2020, with the final report submitted on 13th January 2021 and the Mangalore crash on 22 May 2010, when the final report came out in November that year. These two crashes were in the landing phase, while the Air India crash at Ahmedabad was within seconds of lifting off from the runway. The preliminary report throws light on these five things There has been quite a lot of speculation on what were the last words from the pilots of the AI171, with various sources being cited by each one. Turns out the last words were only 'Mayday, Mayday' and the pilots did not speak about loss of power or anything else. The aircraft which crashed, VT-ANB did not have any critical items under MEL or Minimum Equipment List. The entire MEL list was within the timeline limits. In aircraft, a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) is a document that outlines the minimum equipment required for an aircraft to legally operate with certain inoperative systems or components. It allows for safe operation even when some equipment is not fully functional, provided specific conditions are met and the aircraft complies with the MEL's limitations. The MEL is specific to an aircraft type and operator and is derived from a Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) provided by the aircraft manufacturer. Immediately after take off, AI 171's Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF, one after another. 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. The AAIB preliminary report mentions how the fuel cutoff switches again transitioned from CUTOFF to RUN with efforts made to relight the engine, one after another. As per the EAFR (Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder), the Engine 1 fuel cutoff switch transitioned from CUTOFF to RUN within seconds of pilots talking about cut-off. The APU Inlet Door began opening thereafter, consistent with the APU Auto Start logic. Thereafter the Engine 2 fuel cutoff switch also transitions from CUTOFF to RUN. When fuel control switches are moved from CUTOFF to RUN while the aircraft is inflight, each engine's full authority dual engine control (FADEC) automatically manages a relight and thrust recovery sequence of ignition and fuel introduction. The EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) was observed to be rising for both engines indicating relight. Engine 1's core deceleration stopped, reversed and started to progress to recovery. Engine 2 was able to relight but could not arrest core speed deceleration and re-introduced fuel repeatedly to increase core speed acceleration and recovery. The preliminary report on Air India plane crash does not point to any recommendations for either Boeing, the manufacturer of the plane type or GE, the manufacturer of the engines which powered the plane. With the preliminary report out, the focus will shift on what led to the movement of switches of the Air India AI171 plane that crashes moments after take-off in Ahmedabad. If it was manual, why did that happen and which of the two pilots did it along with ways to ensure this does not repeat again. Both the government and Air India have been criticised for the way the crash was handled. From a single press conference and lack of regular briefings to suspense over where the Black box is and the time taken to get it from Ahmedabad to Delhi, a lot could have been handled professionally. The airline on the other hand started on the wrong foot with the speech from the Chief Executive Officer being accused of plagiarism from the American Airlines incident earlier this year.
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Tanzania Airlines blacklisted by EU, but safe in South African skies
Air Tanzania's operations in South Africa remain unaffected, though Sacaa has not ruled out the possibility of future action. The European Union (EU) blacklisted all airlines, cargo and passenger, certified by the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) this month. The country's flag carrier, Air Tanzania, and its cargo and charter peers are now banned from entering European airspace. EU bans Tanzanian carriers from its airspace The move was prompted by what the EU called 'serious deficiencies' in Tanzania's aviation oversight. But civil aviation authorities in South Africa say they have no safety or compliance concerns about the Tanzanian airline operating into South Africa. Presently, no Tanzanian carriers operate in the EU; however, national airline Air Tanzania had set its sights on long-haul operations, including flights to the UK, which are now scuppered. The EU said TCAA has a lack of qualified personnel, ineffective regulatory supervision, and noncompliance with international safety standards a challenge locally. No red flags for SA, says Sacaa South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) spokesperson Naledi Shange said: 'Airlines from Tanzania undergo our own rigorous technical assessments and ramp inspections before receiving foreign operator permits to operate in South African airspace.' For now, Air Tanzania's operations in South Africa remain unaffected. The Sacaa has not ruled out the possibility of future action, but Shange said that any decisions will be based on its assessments, not the decisions of foreign regulators. Even if an international body such as the EU or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US flags concerns, Sacaa conducts its own investigations and assessments before considering any bans or enforcement action. ALSO READ: Europe bakes in summer's first heatwave as continent warms 'There is no blanket policy. If technical or safety concerns are identified, enforcement procedures are initiated, including grounding of the aircraft, if necessary,' Shange said. 'Each operator is assessed independently. We do not rely solely on the actions or findings of other authorities.' Thus far, she said, there have been no bans on international operators in South African airspace, only corrective action. 'As part of our surveillance programme, we do conduct planned and ad hoc inspections of foreign operators. 'If issues are identified, we act. In most cases, these are addressed before the aircraft departs,' she said. That said, recently, South African airlines stood to forfeit access to US and EU airspace after the country failed to meet a key international aviation obligation and ensure the establishment of an independent body to investigate aircraft accidents. ALSO READ: SA expresses sadness, offers condolences to India after Air India crash [VIDEO] SA's aviation credibility under spotlight too Under Annexe 13 of the Chicago Convention, which sets global aviation safety standards, accident investigations must be independent and impartial. At present, they're handled by the Civil Aviation Authority, an entity housed under the Department of Transport, which does not meet the required level of independence. The department has since confirmed it will table a draft policy before Cabinet in a bid to avoid a serious safety finding, which could see local carriers grounded from some of the world's most important air corridors. When it comes to safety standards, Shange said robust international oversight and a strong performance record of the Sacaa. 'Sacaa participates in the [International Civil Aviation Organisation] universal safety oversight audit programme – continuous monitoring approach, which evaluates global aviation safety compliance,' she said. 'In 2022, South Africa achieved a final safety oversight score of 91.38%, placing the country among the top 20 globally.' The FAA also reaffirmed South Africa's category 1 status, the highest accolade possible, under its international aviation safety assessment programme in the same year. NOW READ: SANDF budget constraints: SAAF needs R414 million to refurbish Ramaphosa's presidential jet
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
AAIB DG leading crash probe gets X security cover
Govt has provided X category security cover to Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau DG GVG Yugandhar who is leading the probe into the crash of AI-171. Following a threat perception report, MHA has asked CRPF to provide him cover. Meanwhile, India has granted observer status to an expert from International Civil Aviation Organisation for the crash probe. UN's aviation arm, ICAO had formally requested to send an observer to the inquiry. As a signatory to ICAO's Chicago Convention (1944), India investigates aircraft accidents in accordance with ICAO's and its (Indian) rules.
