"Biased towards pilot error": Pilot Association insists on fair inquiry into Air India plane crash

New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): The Airline Pilots' Association of India on Saturday raised objections to the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the Air India plane crash on June 12, claiming that it suggests a bias towards pilot error.
"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 pilots' association said in a media statement.
Claiming a lack of transparency in the investigation, the association expressed reservations over the release of the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 to the media, and said that it was "leaked" without any official signature.
It also flagged the issue of experienced personnel, especially line pilots, not being included in the investigation team.
"The report was leaked to the media without any responsible official signature or attribution. There is a lack of transparency in investigations 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 statement read.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday urged not to draw conclusions based on the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the Air India flight AI171 crash.
Speaking to mediapersons, the MoS Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said, "The AAIB has brought out a preliminary report. This is not the final report. Until the final report comes out, we should not arrive at any conclusion. AAIB is an autonomous authority, and the ministry does not interfere in their work."
On Friday, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12.
The AI-171 flight, which was bound for London's Gatwick airport, crashed soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport. 260 people lost their lives in the accident, which included 229 passengers, 12 crew members and 19 people on the ground.
The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent.
Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the response was, "I did not."
This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight.
According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a "MAYDAY" -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter. (ANI)