ALPA India to join AAIB discussions on aviation safety, AI 171 crash probe

New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has said that it has been formally invited by the Director General, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), to attend a consultation meeting in the national capital on Friday and expressed optimism of a positive outcome from this engagement, particularly with regard to participation as part of the investigation into the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad in June this year.
According to Team ALPA India, the purpose of the meeting is to deliberate on its role as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in accident investigations.
"This invitation highlights the recognition of the association's professional expertise, operational experience, and its longstanding commitment to advancing aviation safety in India," a release said.
"ALPA India is optimistic of a positive outcome from this engagement, particularly with regard to participation as part of the investigation into the AI 171 crash. Such collaboration is expected to strengthen investigative processes by incorporating the critical perspective of pilots, thereby contributing to safer skies for all," it added.
On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating between Ahmedabad and Gatwick Airport (London), crashed within one minute of take-off.
The crash occurred in the densely populated Meghani Nagar locality of Ahmedabad and killed 260 people. The flight was carrying 242 individuals and only one passenger survived.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) had earlier this month written to Ministry of Civil Aviation demanding the constitution of a Court of Inquiry (judicial probe) into the investigation of the fatal crash of Air India Flight AI 171 on June 12, 2025.
In a letter addressed to the Civil Aviation Minister, the FIP alleged the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had "fundamentally and irrevocably compromised the integrity, impartiality, and legality of the ongoing investigation."
AAIB's preliminary report, released in July, said that both the engines of the aircraft were moved from "run" to "cutoff" in quick succession, which resulted in the fuel supply being cut off.
The report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he did the cutoff, which the other pilot denied ever doing.
"The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC, and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The engines N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off," the preliminary report said."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 report added.
As per the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) accessed by the AAIB, engine 1's fuel cut switch transitioned from 'cutoff' to 'run' at about 8:08:52 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). At 8:08:56 UTC the Engine 2's fuel switch also went from 'cutoff' to 'run'. (ANI)