Air India crash probe sparks row: Pilots' body alleges bias, questions investigation’s transparency

The Airline Pilots' Association of India has raised serious concerns over the preliminary report into the Air India AI171 crash, alleging bias, lack of transparency, and exclusion of experts. The final investigation report is awaited.

The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) has objected to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)'s preliminary report on the Air India Flight AI171 crash, calling it biased and unfair. In a statement released on Saturday, ALPA claimed the investigation appears to assume pilot error without a complete and transparent inquiry.

The crash occurred on June 12, when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for London Gatwick and crashed within 90 seconds. 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 on the ground, lost their lives.

Report released without signature, says pilots' body

ALPA has questioned the manner in which the report was made public. They claim that the preliminary findings were leaked to the media without any official signature, raising doubts about its credibility.

"The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias towards pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry," ALPA stated.

They also expressed concern over the lack of inclusion of experienced professionals, especially line pilots, in the investigation team.

What the AAIB report says

According to the AAIB's preliminary report, both engines of the aircraft shut down within seconds of takeoff, causing a catastrophic drop in thrust and leading to the crash.

Flight data from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were moved from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' within a one-second interval. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) captured one pilot asking, "Why did you cut off?" and the other replying, "I did not."

This triggered the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) to deploy, which usually occurs when an aircraft loses power and needs emergency systems to function. Though the pilots tried to restart the engines, only one showed partial recovery. By then, the aircraft had already begun to descend rapidly.

The final distress call 'MAYDAY' was sent at 08:09 UTC, seconds before the plane crashed into residential buildings near the airport perimeter.

ALPA's key objections

The pilot's body has raised four main issues:

Assumed pilot error: ALPA says the investigation appears to blame the pilots too early without establishing the cause.

Lack of transparency: The investigation is being conducted in secrecy, they allege, without regular updates or clarity.

Exclusion of experts: ALPA claims experienced pilots and technical personnel have not been included.

Unsigned preliminary report: The report was leaked without any responsible official's signature, which is highly unusual for such a serious matter.

ALPA has also questioned how parts of the report were accessed by foreign outlets like the Wall Street Journal, even as the Indian public awaits answers.

Who were the pilots?

The aircraft was being flown by Captain Sumit Sabharwal, aged 56, who had over 15,600 hours of flying experience, and First Officer Clive Kunder, aged 32, with more than 3,400 hours of flight time. Both pilots were well-qualified to operate the Dreamliner aircraft.

ALPA President Captain Sam Thomas stated, "We feel the investigation is proceeding as if the pilots have already been deemed guilty. We strongly oppose this approach."

ALPA demands fair representation

ALPA has repeated its demand to include pilot representatives as observers in the investigation process to ensure that no group is unfairly blamed. The association stressed that such inclusion is necessary to maintain public trust and ensure a fair outcome.

Government urges patience

Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, addressed the media on Saturday. He said, "The AAIB has released a preliminary report, not a final conclusion. We must wait for the full investigation to complete before forming opinions."

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also issued a similar appeal. He urged the media and public not to jump to conclusions, stating that the ministry has full faith in Indian pilots and supports a thorough and just investigation.

Final report awaited

The AAIB is expected to continue its investigation with the help of data from the flight and cockpit recorders, maintenance logs, crew records, and engineering checks. The final report, which will detail the exact cause and suggest preventive steps, is yet to be released.