Latest news with #TerryTozer
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
All Indian aircraft ordered to check vital fuel switches behind jet crash – amid fears disaster was pilot suicide
AIRLINES in India were today ordered to carry out urgent safety checks as the row over the crash which killed 260 people intensified. In 2018 regulators warned that a 10 All aircraft across India have been ordered to check vital fuel switches following the Air India disaster Credit: Getty 10 Tail of the doomed Air India flight Credit: Reuters 10 The fuel switch at the centre of the new compulsory checks 10 The plane seconds before disaster Credit: X Air India didn't check its planes at the time because the notice was not mandatory. But India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now ordered next Monday. It comes as yet another Although the 15-page report did not rule out a READ MORE WORLD NEWS The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said it was "deeply disturbed by speculative narratives... particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide". The association said: "There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage. It is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved. "To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession.' Flight Most read in The Sun The black box recorded one of the pilots asking the other: 'Why did you cut off?' to which the second replied: 'I did not do so.' The switches were turned back on but only one engine re-started and not in time to Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion The report highlighted the 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration advice warning operators about the potential disengagement of the switches' locking mechanism, designed to prevent accidental operation. It applied to various Boeing models , including the 787 which was the plane that crashed last month. The notice was advisory, not mandatory, so Air India did not carry out any checks but the firm and all other airlines have now been ordered to do so. The DGCA said today: 'All airline operators of the affected aircraft are hereby advised to complete the inspection required no later than 21st July, 2025. 'Strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations.' It comes as fears grow that the doomed flight was a pilot suicide. 10 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot in the doomed Air India flight 10 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess Credit: x/mitrapredator 10 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics Credit: Getty And an aviation expert claimed this week that there was a vanishingly small chance the fuel was cut by accident. Ex-pilot Terry Tozer told The Sun why it was extremely likely that the fuel switches were The claims came after the Air India's CEO was also revealed to have backed the doomed fight's pilots in a leaked memo, Reuters reported. Key findings of the report: Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits Airline head Campbell Wilson said the probe into the horrific crash was far from over and warned it would be unwise to jump to any conclusions. He said in the memo: "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. "Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions." Wilson added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over." 10 260 people died in the horror crash in Ahmedadbad, India 10 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight Credit: Getty 10 Wreckage of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane sits on the ground outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Credit: Reuters
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Fears grow Air India crash was pilot suicide as aviation expert says ‘vanishingly small' chance fuel was cut by accident
FEARS are mounting that the doomed Air India flight was a pilot suicide - as an aviation expert claimed there was a vanishingly small chance the fuel was cut by accident. Ex-pilot Terry Tozer told The Sun why it was extremely likely that the fuel switches were 9 The plane seconds before disaster Credit: X 9 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot in the doomed Air India flight 9 Officials inspect the remains of the Air India passenger plane at the crash site in Ahmedabad Credit: EPA 9 Clive Kunder was the co-pilot on the doomed flight Credit: Getty He explained why the plane's lock mechanism meant it was incredibly unlikely the Tozer said: "The fuel "And that implies that somebody did that as a conscious human action, because so far as we understand, these switches have a lock mechanism." He added: "They have to be lifted in order to be moved. Otherwise they lock in position." READ MORE WORLD NEWS The claims come after the But aviation experts, like Tozer, have claimed it is almost certainly a case of Two major commercial pilots' associations rejected claims that human error caused the Boeing to crash and kill 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Tozer also explained another piece of evidence which strongly ruled out an electrical or Most read in The Sun He said: "The fact that the fuel cutoff was initiated first with one engine and then the other... kind of implies a conscious lifting of a switch - moving it and lifting it." The expert said that unless somebody could prove a "weird electromechanical process" caused the switch to move without human intervention, then all evidence indicated that "somebody lifted and moved one switch followed by the other". Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion And he said the chance somebody could prove the He explained: "I find it hard to believe that that something you would do by accident." But he stopped short of speculating "And of course, that opens another whole can of worms as to why somebody would do that," he said. He also told how the report was "probably trying to avoid deliberately pointing a finger" at either of the pilots by not naming which one said "why did you cutoff" in response to the fuel cutoff switches moving. "The full report will basically come up with final conclusions," he said, adding that not naming them specifically indicated investigators were "very circumspect". He added: "But of course, if the locking mechanism didn't actually function on this aircraft, you can't entirely rule out the fact that someone inadvertently touched them and they flicked off. "Having said that, I can't see why any pilot would have their hands anywhere near the area where these switches are located." He continued: "The first officer was flying the aircraft. Whose hands would have both been on the control column? "The captain would have been monitoring what was going on. So he had his hands free." 9 Wreckage of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane sits on the ground outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Credit: Reuters 9 Landing gear of the Air India plane crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess Credit: x/mitrapredator 9 A cockpit view of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft shows the fuel switch; Annotations by The Sun Graphics Credit: Getty He said that another pilot in India speculated that the pilot committed suicide - but said that this statement was "rather presumptuous because we simply don't know". The claims came as it was revealed that Air India's CEO backed the doomed fight's pilots in a leaked memo, Reuters reported. Airline CEO Campbell Wilson said the probe into the horrific crash was far from over and warned it would be unwise to jump to any conclusions. He said in the memo: "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. "Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions." Wilson added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over." Key findings of the report: Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits The Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick from Indian Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff,the report released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said. The memo also said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults, and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The claims and leaked memo also came as it was revealed the doomed flight's captain was considering quitting early after his mum's death. Flight AI171 was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was reportedly just He was looking to retire early and take care of his 92-year-old father Pushkaraj Sabharwal - a former Indian civil aviation official - who became alone after his wife's death. Savitri Budhania, who lives close to Captain Sabharwal's house, said she once told him that "your father is too old to be living alone". To which the pilot replied: "Just one or two more flights… then I'm going to just be with Papa." A leading aviation expert in India also told The Telegraph that Captain Sabharwal suffered from mental health issues and depression - and had taken time off in the last few years following his mum's death. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former instructor pilot of Boeing 737, said: "I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues. "He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years." Crash investigators are now said to be The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 9 Tail of the doomed Air India flight Credit: Reuters 9 Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash, poses for the first time since the disaster Credit: Dan Charity
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Fears grow Air India crash was pilot suicide as aviation expert says ‘vanishingly small' chance fuel was cut by accident
FEARS are mounting that the doomed Air India flight was a pilot suicide - as an aviation expert claimed there was a vanishingly small chance the fuel was cut by accident. Ex-pilot Terry Tozer told The Sun why it was extremely likely that the fuel switches were cut off intentionally - as a new preliminary report revealed the final moments inside the cockpit. 8 8 8 8 He explained why the plane's lock mechanism meant it was incredibly unlikely the fuel was cut off accidentally. Tozer said: "The fuel cutoff switches were actioned shortly after lift off from RUN to CUTOFF. "And that implies that somebody did that as a conscious human action, because so far as we understand, these switches have a lock mechanism." He added: "They have to be lifted in order to be moved. Otherwise they lock in position." The claims come after the preliminary report on Saturday which indicated there may have been human error during the final moments of the doomed flight. But aviation experts, like Tozer, have claimed it is almost certainly a case of deliberate action - as speculation continues to grow that the crash was caused by a suicide attempt. Two major commercial pilots' associations rejected claims that human error caused the Boeing to crash and kill 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Tozer also explained another piece of evidence which strongly ruled out an electrical or mechanical fault. He said: "The fact that the fuel cutoff was initiated first with one engine and then the other... kind of implies a conscious lifting of a switch - moving it and lifting it." The expert said that unless somebody could prove a "weird electromechanical process" caused the switch to move without human intervention, then all evidence indicated that "somebody lifted and moved one switch followed by the other". Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion And he said the chance somebody could prove the switches were faulty was now "vanishingly small". He explained: "I find it hard to believe that that something you would do by accident." But he stopped short of speculating why the pilot may have chosen to do this. "And of course, that opens another whole can of worms as to why somebody would do that," he said. He also told how the report was "probably trying to avoid deliberately pointing a finger" at either of the pilots by not naming which one said "why did you cutoff" in response to the fuel cutoff switches moving. "The full report will basically come up with final conclusions," he said, adding that not naming them specifically indicated investigators were "very circumspect". He added: "But of course, if the locking mechanism didn't actually function on this aircraft, you can't entirely rule out the fact that someone inadvertently touched them and they flicked off. "Having said that, I can't see why any pilot would have their hands anywhere near the area where these switches are located." He continued: "The first officer was flying the aircraft. Whose hands would have both been on the control column? "The captain would have been monitoring what was going on. So he had his hands free." 8 8 He said that another pilot in India speculated that the pilot committed suicide - but said that this statement was "rather presumptuous because we simply don't know". The claims came as it was revealed that Air India's CEO backed the doomed fight's pilots in a leaked memo, Reuters reported. Airline CEO Campbell Wilson said the probe into the horrific crash was far from over and warned it would be unwise to jump to any conclusions. He said in the memo: "The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. "Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions." Wilson added: "The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over." Key findings of the report: Dual engine shutdown - fuel cutoff switches moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' Confusion between pilots - cockpit audio confirms one pilot asked 'why did you cutoff', the other replied 'I didn't' RAT deployed - as seen in CCTV footage before the crash Engine relight attempted - fuel switches were found returned to the "RUN" at crash site 32 seconds - the time the aircraft was airborne before it crashed Thrust levers mismatch - Thrust levers found at idle but black box data shows takeoff thrust was still engaged Fuel test pass - fuel was clean without any contamination Normal take-off set-up - Flaps and landing gear correctly configured No bird activity - clear skies, good visibility, light winds Pilot credentials clear - both medically fit and rested No sabotage detected - although FAA alerted over a known fuel switch vulnerability not checked by Air India Aircraft loading - the flight was within weight and balance limits The Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick from Indian Ahmedabad began to lose thrust and sink shortly after takeoff,the report released by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said. The memo also said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults, and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The claims and leaked memo also came as it was revealed the doomed flight's captain was considering quitting early after his mum's death. Flight AI171 was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was reportedly just months away from retirement, his neighbours revealed. He was looking to retire early and take care of his 92-year-old father Pushkaraj Sabharwal - a former Indian civil aviation official - who became alone after his wife's death. Savitri Budhania, who lives close to Captain Sabharwal's house, said she once told him that "your father is too old to be living alone". To which the pilot replied: "Just one or two more flights… then I'm going to just be with Papa." A leading aviation expert in India also told The Telegraph that Captain Sabharwal suffered from mental health issues and depression - and had taken time off in the last few years following his mum's death. Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former instructor pilot of Boeing 737, said: "I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues. "He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years." Crash investigators are now said to be probing the medical records of the Sabharwal amid claims he suffered from mental health problems. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board - including 53 Brits - smashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad in the west of India. The plane was headed to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take-off, killing all but one passenger. 8 8
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Pilot error, a suicide mission or mechanical issue… just what – or who – turned off the fuel on Air India Flight 171?
TO the terrified locals who ducked when Air India Flight 171 narrowly missed their apartment block, captain Sumeet Sabharwal and his first officer are heroes. They are convinced the two pilots saved hundreds of lives by diverting the jet at the last moment after it suffered a catastrophic lack of thrust seconds after take-off. 5 Captain Sumeet Sabharwal Credit: Instagram 5 Co-pilot Clive Kunder was at the controls of the Air India jet when it crashed 5 Debris from Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, India in June Yet those grateful families, along with the rest of the world, are now contemplating the awful possibility that either This is because That could be down to a mechanical issue or a deliberate act by one of the pilots — and aviation experts have told The Sun that the focus is very much on the latter. The 15-page document released by As the engines cut out, one of the two pilots is heard in the black box flight recording frantically asking the other: 'Why did you cut off?', to which the second insists, 'I did not do so'. Moments after the exchange, the switches were turned back on. One engine did restart but not in time to avert tragedy. The jet roared over a three-storey apartment block where 18 families live right next to Ahmedabad airport, missing the top floor by a few feet. Air India victims' families slam 'cover-up' probe as questions remain over possible engine switch confusion 'Murky situation' It then clipped trees and a building inside a compound belonging to the Army Medical Corps before slamming into a medical college, with nearly 60 tons of aviation fuel exploding in a ferocious fireball. Nineteen people died on the ground and all but one of the 242 people on board were killed. Miracle survivor The preliminary report does not rule out the possibility that the fuel supply was cut off due to a mechanical issue. But industry experts yesterday said the spotlight was firmly on the pilots — first officer Kunder, 32, who was at the controls, and captain Sabharwal, 56, who was 'pilot monitoring'. Terry Tozer, former pilot and author of Confessions Of An Airline Pilot — Why Planes Crash, said: 'The report is absolutely shocking. 'The implication is that somebody on the flight deck turned the fuel switches to cut-off and then somebody rescued that situation and put them back to 'run'. 'The engines began to reignite but they didn't have a chance to recover. The report is absolutely shocking. The implication is that somebody on the flight deck turned the fuel switches to cut-off and then somebody rescued that situation and put them back to 'run' Terry Tozer 'First one switch and then the other was set to cut-off, and that's how it would be done if you were doing it deliberately. 'If we assume the switches were functioning as intended, you could not knock them off accidentally. 'One pilot said to the other, 'Why did you turn the fuel off?' and the other one said, 'I didn't'. 'So obviously one of them thought the other one deliberately turned them off. 'It's a murky situation.' Air safety expert Julian Bray believes that pilot suicide is a possibility, just like in Julian said: 'It's impossible for a pilot to turn the switches from run to cut-off by accident. 'It has to be a deliberate act. 'It could be pilot suicide, which we had with Germanwings. 'We don't know yet from the exchange on the flight deck because one says, 'Why did you turn it off?' and the other comes back, 'I didn't'. Was he suddenly feeling guilty?' Julian also raised the possibility of a software glitch or even a third person being present in the cockpit. He said: 'Could it have been someone in the jump seat? 'The Dreamliner has two jump seats, which are behind the pilot and co-pilot seats. 'It's not uncommon for people to be in the jump seat. 'Quite often pilots or cabin crew will hitch a lift if there are no passenger seats available. 'Someone in one of the jump seats could have been feeling suicidal and leaned over and turned the switches. 5 Air India flight AI171 pictured moments before the crash 5 Thick black smoke billowing from the site after the crash 'It's highly unlikely, but it is conceivable and can't be ruled out. 'Also, what we don't know is whether there is a software override in the Dreamliner that can actually do that automatically. 'If it's a dire emergency then all sorts of other systems come into play that might have been part of another procedure. 'The investigators will be looking at all the systems and will try to work out whether it was fired remotely by the software, because these glitches have happened before.' Aviation lawyer Demetrius Danas, from legal firm Irwin Mitchell, is representing a number of the British victims' families. He said: 'The initial findings are deeply concerning. 'Three seconds after take-off, the fuel was cut off to one engine and then almost immediately the other one. 'It is a really chilling conversation between the two pilots. The initial findings are deeply concerning. Three seconds after take-off, the fuel was cut off to one engine and then almost immediately the other one. It is a really chilling conversation between the two pilotsegan to reignite but they didn't have a chance to recover Demetrius Danas 'Hopefully we will learn what was said before this exchange but it does seem clear these two buttons were switched off and then tried to be put back on again, but it was too late. 'If it is pilot error, was it inadvertent, absent-minded or was it deliberate? 'It is baffling. 'If it's intentional, is it muscle memory doing something you have done many times before but on this occasion at the wrong time? 'The switches are used on every flight, but when it ends. 'This time it was done when it started. 'The families are desperate to know why the engines were starved of fuel and how that happened.' Lawyer, aviation expert and qualified helicopter pilot James Healy-Pratt, of Keystone Law, is representing another 20 of the British families. He added a note of caution to the speculation that the fuel switches were turned off by a deliberate act. James said: 'It is possible they were deliberately touched, but that's as hard as I can go at the moment. 'I think it is too early to come to conclusions such as suicide or mass homicide, because put yourself in the shoes of one of the families. 'It's one thing to lose loved ones from an accident. 'It's very different to lose loved ones who suddenly become victims of an intentional crime. 'Everything does now centre around two things — those fuel control levers and what happened in the cockpit over about 20 seconds. 'We will be filing a lawsuit against Boeing in the States to get more information about those switches. 'It's the only way we have of trying to get some evidence, and our families want answers.' One of the families waiting to learn more are the relatives of Ashok Patel, 74, and his wife Shobhana, 71, from Orpington, Kent. They had been married for 47 years and were flying home after visiting India on a religious pilgrimage. Furious row Ashok was a financial adviser and Shobhana a microbiologist who had worked for the NHS for 37 years. Son Miten, 40, who now wears the emerald ring his dad had on when he died and which was recovered from the crash site, said: 'They had gone through so many challenges in life. 'They had this strength that you don't give up. That is what is keeping us going now. They were inseparable and were loved by so many people. 'It's incredible the number of text messages I have had since they died. 'Dad had the ability to walk into a room and talk to anyone. He was always interested in other people. 'And Mum was the rock of our extended family. She was there every day for any relative, in good times or bad. If someone was coming round for lunch she would make a full-blown Hindu meal. 'I would say, 'Mum, what are you doing? You're spending the entire evening making this huge meal and they are just calling round'. 'She would say, 'They're coming to our house and we always welcome our guests properly'. It's impossible for a pilot to turn the switches from run to cut-off by accident. It has to be a deliberate act. It could be pilot suicide, which we had with Germanwings Julian Bray 'Since the plane went down, there have been so many theories but until we see the final report that this is the cause or that is the cause, only then should we go down that route. 'It is going to take time, which causes more heartache and frustration because people want answers. 'For all of the families this is a tragedy and we are entitled to know what happened and there has to be accountability. 'But we have to wait for the final report and hope it will conclude on evidence-based information which will prevent this from ever happening again.' The preliminary report reveals that But that was not due to any problem with the switches, and there has been no report of any defect with the switches since then, it states. That further turns the focus on to the pilots, which has triggered a furious row in India. The Airline Pilots' Association of India blasted the report because it 'appears biased toward pilot error'. The pilots union added: 'This investigation seems to presume pilot fault, and we strongly object to that narrative. 'We strongly reject any premature conclusions and urge a fact-based, unbiased inquiry.' Meanwhile, the only survivor from the flight continues to struggle to deal with the aftermath a month on from crawling out of the wreckage.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Fuel to Air India Plane Was Cut off Moments before Crash, Investigation Report Says
NEW DELHI (AP) — Fuel control switches for the engines of an Air India flight that crashed last month were moved from the 'run' to the 'cutoff' position moments before impact, starving both engines of fuel, a preliminary investigation report said early Saturday. The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, also indicated that both pilots were confused over the change to the switch setting, which caused a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff. The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India's worst aviation disasters. The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian — along with 12 crew members. According to the report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. It 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' within a second. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight. The movement of the fuel control switches allows and cuts fuel flow to the plane's engines. The switches were flipped back into the run position, the report said, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude. The report stated: 'One of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'.' Aviation expert and former airline pilot Terry Tozer said the engine cutoff switches being switched to off only seconds after takeoff was 'absolutely bizarre.' 'Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn't have enough time,' Tozer told Sky News. The report also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash. In the flight's final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report said. The preliminary report did not recommend any actions for Boeing, which said in a statement that it 'stands ready to support the investigation led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.' 'Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,' the statement added. India's civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said the report's findings were preliminary and one should not 'jump into any conclusions on this.' 'Let us wait for the final report,' Naidu told reporters. Air India, in a statement, said it is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash. 'Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses,' it said. The plane's black boxes — combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders — were recovered in the days following the crash and later downloaded in India. Indian authorities had also ordered deeper checks of Air India's entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet.
