Latest news with #B787
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AAIB probe into Air India crash transparent, totally unbiased: Ram Mohan Naidu
NEW DELHI: Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu backed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) report and probe into the crash of Air India 171, terming the body 'unbiased', even as several lawmakers questioned him on the accident and on air safety. Ahmedabad: Wreckage of Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which was operating flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, placed under tight security, seen a month after the tragedy, in Ahmedabad. (PTI) His comments in the Rajya Sabha came in the wake of a raft of reports in western media that have blamed the commander of the aircraft for the crash, claiming that he switched off fuel to the engines. AAIB's preliminary report identifies the fuel switches being in cut-off position as the reason for the engine failure, and paraphrases a conversation between the two pilots, with one asking the other whether he cut the fuel, and receiving a negative response. The report did not say what could have caused this, but said there was nothing wrong with either the engine or the aircraft. Also Read | 'Speculative': US transport safety body NTSB slams Air India crash media reports blaming pilot Replying to Rajya Sabha MP Ashokrao Chavan, Naidu said: ' AAIB got into the investigation right after the accident happened… they have started the process according to international standards… they have involved all subject matter experts… necessary people who are supposed to be participating in the investigation. They have gone through the first set of investigation processes and have given us the preliminary report.' To be sure, AAIB has responded to western media reports by clarifying that its preliminary report was only about the 'what' and not the 'why' or 'how'. The civil aviation minister said that definitive answers will only be available once the AAIB's final report is ready. Talking about the preliminary report and decoding of the black box of the B787 that crashed on June 12, Naidu said, ' Whenever these accidents happen and the black box gets damaged. It was always sent to the original equipment manufacturer and for decoding.' This time, he added, that the black box was decoded in the county for the first time and 'we have done it successfully'. Also Read: Two media houses get pilot bodies' notice for coverage of Air India crash report Replying to MP Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi, minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in a written reply, said that the data from one of the flight recorders of AI-171 (VT-ANB) has been downloaded in the Flight Recorder Lab of the AAIB at Udaan Bhawan. Naidu asked people to 'respect the process'. 'We want to stand by the truth. We want to find out what exactly happened and that is only going to be coming out once the final report (of AAIB) is placed. We have to respect the process of investigation and once that process has happened, then we can talk about what happened, how it happened and then corrective measures (can be taken),' the minister said. 'I can say this in the House and to the people of the country that AAIB has a very definitive and thorough rule-based process. They are very transparently looking at the (investigation) process right now and they are totally unbiased,' Naidu added. Referring to western media reports, he said: 'There have been multiple reports not only in India but also in the Western media, trying to air their own viewpoints and narratives but I want to tell you that the way we are seeing the investigation is through the facts. We want to stand by the truth and not what is happening with the pilots, Boeing, Air India or any other stakeholder'. We want to find out what exactly happened. We have to respect the process of investigation.' India's civil aviation regulator has always focused on safety, he said, replying to another question from Fauzia Khan: 'In terms of safety, DGCA has inspections which are planned, ramp inspections, spot checks, and night surveillance… they conduct safety audits…they keep monitoring all aircraft and airports…whenever such incidents happen… we ensure that there is no negligence and no incompetence on any of the processes, nd if something takes place because of the negligence then we take a serious actions on the operator and any necessary person and impose penalties..' Separately, in a written reply to MP John Brittas, Mrulidhar Mohol said, 'During the last six months, a total of nine show cause notices have been issued to Air India in connection with five identified safety violations. Enforcement action has been completed in respect of one violation. '
The Hindu
6 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Air India crash probe focuses on actions of plane's captain: reports
A cockpit recording of dialogue between the two pilots of the Air India flight that crashed last month indicates the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane's engines, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday (July 17, 2025). Also Read | Air India finds no issues with locking mechanism of fuel control switch in B787 planes: Official The newspaper cited people familiar with U.S. officials' early assessment of evidence uncovered in the investigation into the June 12 crash that killed 260 people. The First Officer, who was flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, asked the more experienced captain why he moved the fuel switches to the "cutoff" position seconds after lifting off the runway, the report said. The two pilots involved were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had total flying experience of 15,638 hours and 3,403 hours, respectively. AAIB, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India and two unions representing Indian pilots did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the Wall Street Journal report. Boeing declined to comment. A preliminary report into the crash released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday said the fuel switches had switched from run to cutoff a second apart just after takeoff, but it did not say how they were flipped. Almost immediately after the plane lifted off the ground, closed-circuit TV footage showed a backup energy source called a ram air turbine had deployed, indicating a loss of power from the engines. One pilot was then 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. Without fuel flowing to the engines, the London-bound plane began to lose thrust. After reaching a height of 650 feet, the plane began to sink. The fuel switches for both engines were turned back to run, and the airplane automatically tried restarting the engines, the report said. Also Read | Families of 47 victims of Air India 171 crash victims receive interim payout; lawyers warn against forgoing rights for full compensation But the plane was too low and too slow to be able to recover, aviation safety expert John Nance told Reuters. The plane clipped some trees and a chimney before crashing in a fireball into a building on a nearby medical college campus, the report said, killing 19 people on the ground and 241 of the 242 on board the 787. No safety recommendations In an internal memo on Monday (July 14, 2025), Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance faults and that all required maintenance had been carried out. The AAIB's preliminary report had no safety recommendations for Boeing or engine manufacturer GE. After the report was released, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, a document seen by Reuters showed and four sources with knowledge of the matter said. The circumstantial evidence increasingly indicates that a crew member flipped the engine fuel switches, Mr. Nance said, given there was "no other rationale explanation" that was consistent with the information released to date. Nonetheless, investigators "still have to dig into all the factors" and rule out other possible contributing factors which would take time, he said. Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors, and under international rules, a final report is expected within a year of an accident. The Air India crash has rekindled debate over adding flight deck cameras, known as cockpit image recorders, on airliners. Mr. Nance said investigators likely would have benefited greatly from having video footage of the cockpit during the Air India flight. Air India has faced additional scrutiny on other fronts after the crash. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said this month it plans to investigate its budget airline, Air India Express, after Reuters reported the carrier did not follow a directive to change engine parts of an Airbus A320 in a timely manner and falsified records to show compliance.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Abu Dhabi-Hyderabad Etihad Boeing 787: No issue with fuel control switches, return flight was precautionary; inspection followed Air India crash preliminary report
Following the Air India crash preliminary report, Etihad Airways inspected a Boeing 787's fuel control switch locking mechanism after a flight returned to Abu Dhabi as a precaution. The focus is on preventing inadvertent fuel supply cutoff. MUMBAI: An Etihad Airways Boeing 787 returned to Abu Dhabi shortly after take-off for Hyderabad on Sunday, following which the airline carried out an inspection of the aircraft's fuel control switch locking mechanism as part of an engineering work order. On Thursday, the airline said the pilots decision to return was a precautionary measure. The locking mechanism of fuel control switches on Boeing aircraft is under global scrutiny after it was mentioned in the preliminary report on the June 12 Air India AI-171 Boeing 787 accident which killed 270 people. On Monday, in a statement to the Times of India on a query about the said engineering work order, the airline said: "Etihad always ensures its maintenance is fully compliant." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai On Thursday, Etihad updated its statement. 'Etihad has not experienced any issues with fuel control switches. The return of flight EY352 on 13 July was a precautionary measure and not related to the aircraft's fuel system," the airline said. The said aircraft (A6-BLI) took off and climbed to about 9500 feet when the pilots diverted it back to Abu Dhabi. TOI had reported that since the aircraft operated a flight on Monday, it is unlikely that a problem was detected in the locking mechanism. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into AI 171 accident on Saturday, July 12. The Etihad engineering work order came a day later, on July 13. TOI had accessed the said document, it instructs engineers to inspect whether the locking mechanism on the fuel control supply switches in the said Boeing 787 aircraft can be moved without lifting. Why is this particular locking feature on Boeing aircraft in focus now? The AAIB report said that fuel control switches on Air India B787 transitioned from ``Run'' to ''Cutoff'' three seconds after the aircraft lifted off from Ahmedabad runway. 'In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off (the fuel supply). The other pilot responded that he did not do so", the report said. Fuel control switches have a locking mechanism to prevent inadvertent movement from 'Run', which starts and continues the fuel supply to 'Cutoff' which discontinues the fuel supply or vice-versa. The switch has to be lifted and then moved forward where it drops into a slot and this starts the fuel supply. Similarly, to cut the fuel supply the switch has to be lifted and pulled back into a slot. But a faulty lock can be moved without lifting and so can inadvertently move during different stages of flight, such as a take-off for instance. The AAIB report referred to a 2018 safety bulletin issued by the US aviation regulator which instructed airlines to inspect for locking system failure in the fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft, including Boeing 787. A faulty locking system could cut off fuel supply to the engines without pilots input. The AAIB report said that Air India did not carry out the inspection as it was not mandated by the FAA. The Etihad engineering work order follows the 2018 directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 'If the switch cannot be moved without lifting, the locking feature is functional. No further action is needed. If the switch can be moved freely without lifting, the locking feature has failed or is disengaged. Replace the Thrust Control Module (TCM)', said the Etihad work order.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Safety notices raised alerts on B787 fuel valves, switches
KOLKATA: A day after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation belatedly ordered checks on the fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft, including B787 and B737, based on a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33 issued by US regulator Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) on December 17, 2018, another Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by FAA on fuel shutoff valves on September 19, 2015, has come to light. This AD, which required mandatory compliance, was flagged again by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) a month later, issuing a safety notice requiring airlines to mandatorily check fuel shutoff valves on Boeing aircraft. It specifically mentioned that while fuel shutoff valves on various Boeing aircraft, including B737, B757, B767, and B777, require inspection, those on B787 needed to be replaced. The AI plane that crashed on June 12 was a B787 Dreamliner. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The preliminary crash investigation report also established that the crash was due to the plane losing thrust as fuel to the engines was cut off. While the report mentions transitioning the fuel switch from ON to CUT OFF and back to ON, a section of pilots says this sequence was required to be carried out by pilots as per the Boeing manual in case fuel flow to the engines ceased. The 2015 AD, the 2019 SAIB, as well as the reflagging of the valve problem by CAA, point to an inherent issue with the throttle control module used in B787 aircraft and not just the fuel switches hinted at in the crash preliminary report. The CAA safety notice (no. SN-2015/005) issued on May 15, 2025, less than a month before the June 12 AI crash, reiterates the 2015 AD issued by FAA. It reads: "...the fuel shutoff valve actuators on the B787 which require replacement, test and/or inspection..." "The Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) for operators of B787 aircraft should immediately make themselves aware of the relevant AD and establish whether it affects any aircraft... The operation check AD must be documented in the Operations Manual along with reference to the AD number," the notice added. Aviation safety experts and airline pilots said the AD is absolutely critical. An airline official said Indian carriers are mandated to follow the ADs issued by DGCA. The CAA AD requires compliance by UK airlines. They acknowledge that the AD issued by FAA in September 2015 needed to be mandatorily acted upon and said the DGCA issued the concerned AD in 2015. AI back then was under govt management. Airline sources said the necessary actions were taken. UK aviation regulator CAA issued safety notice (no. SN-2015/005) on May 15, 2025, requiring valve replacement and checks in B787 aircraft. The safety notice was based on an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued on September 19, 2015, by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), US, addressing a potential unsafe condition affecting fuel shutoff valves installed on various Boeing aircraft. DGCA issued an AD on the fuel control valves in 2015 following the FAA alert. But there was no mention of it in the preliminary crash investigation report issued by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Instead, the report mentioned an FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33 dated December 17, 2018, that warned of the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. This was not mandatory in nature and hence not acted upon, it stated. On July 14, 2025, DGCA issued a circular ordering checks of fuel control switches on B787 and B737 aircraft.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Safety notices raise alerts on B787 fuel valves, switches
1 2 3 Kolkata: A day after DGCA ordered checks on fuel control switches of Boeing aircraft based on a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NM-18-33 issued by US regulator Federal Aviation Authority in Dec 17, 2018, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by FAA on Sept 19, 2015, on fuel shutoff valves has come to light. This AD, which required mandatory compliance, was flagged again a month later by UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which issued a safety notice requiring airlines to check fuel shutoff valves on Boeing aircraft. It mentioned that while fuel shutoff valves on aircraft, including B737, B757, B767, and B777, required inspection, those on B787s needed to be replaced. The AI plane that crashed on June 12 was a B787 Dreamliner. The preliminary investigation report also established that the crash was due to the plane losing thrust as fuel to the engines was cut off. While the report mentions transitioning the fuel switch from ON to CUT OFF and back to ON, some pilots say this sequence was required to be carried out in case fuel flow to the engines ceased, per the Boeing manual. The 2015 AD, the 2018 SAIB as well as the valve problem being raised again by CAA point to an inherent issue with the throttle control module used in B787 aircraft, and not just the fuel switches hinted at in the preliminary report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e tornozelos inchados? Descubra o que pode ajudar a drenar agora aartedoherbalismo Undo You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The CAA safety notice (SN-2015/005) issued on May 15, 2025, less than a month before the June 12 Air India crash, reiterated the 2015 AD issued by FAA. It reads: "...the fuel shutoff valve actuators on the B787... require replacement, test and/or inspection..." "The Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) for operators of B787 aircraft should immediately make themselves aware of the relevant AD and establish whether it affects any aircraft... The operation check AD must be documented in the Operations Manual along with reference to the AD number," the notice added. Aviation safety experts and airline pilots said the AD was absolutely critical. An airline official said Indian carriers were mandated to follow the ADs issued by DGCA, while the CAA AD requires compliance by UK airlines. They acknowledged that the AD issued by FAA in Sept 2015 needed to be compulsorily acted upon and said DGCA issued the AD concerned in 2015. AI was under govt management back then. Airline sources said necessary action was taken.
