Pilots Urge Centre to Induct More Experts for Probe into Air India Boeing Crash

NEW DELHI:
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Thursday in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry have stated that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has failed to sufficiently consider two plausible and previously documented technical scenarios, either of which could have triggered an automated shutdown of both engines of the ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The association has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to include more subject matter experts in the investigation.

The pilots association has alleged that the preliminary report appears to infer or suggest the possibility of pilot error, without presenting any conclusive evidence or exploring well-documented technical failure modes previously observed in a similar aircraft.

The letter also alleges that this is not the first time that systemic failures within Boeing aircraft have initially been attributed to pilot error or suicidal intent, only to be disproven by subsequent investigations.

The letter states that to prematurely and indirectly suggest pilot error in the preliminary report of the Al-171 crash, without thorough validation or elimination of these known technical pathways, risks not only misplaced blame but repeating past investigative failures.

The FIP has called for a reassessment of the role of mechanical faults, based on available data from the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder as well as previous Boeing bulletins.

The pilots association has objected to the various interpretations of the probe, and alleged that the report relied selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to “suggest pilot error”.

The report also mentioned a conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit of the plane. One pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?”, and the other responded, “I did not do so”.

The association has sought inclusion of airline pilot representatives in the investigation and called for a thorough investigation before “assigning blame”.

Meanwhile pilots’ grouping ALPA-India on Thursday said the crew of the crashed AI-171 flight made every possible effort to protect the passengers onboard and they deserve respect, not unfounded character judgements.

“The crew of AI-171 made every possible effort — till their very last breath — to protect the passengers on board and minimise harm on the ground. They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments,” ALPA India said in a statement.

“We reiterate our call for a fact-based and respectful discourse,” the association said.