A preliminary report into the tragic Air India 171 crash that killed 260 people has sparked fury from grieving families and pilots alike, as it raises more questions than it does answers
Families grieving the victims of the Air India plane crash have been left with more questions than answers after the official investigation into the disaster sparked a furious backlash.
The preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, published on Friday, found that both fuel cutoff switches were flipped shortly after takeoff, shutting down the jet’s engines.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a crowded neighbourhood just minutes after it took off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, exploding into a fireball and killing 241 passengers, as well as 19 people on the ground. Only one man – British-Indian passenger Vishwashkumar Ramesh – survived the horror.
While the report doesn’t place blame the pilots for the disaster, aviation experts have pointed out that flipping the fuel cutoff switch has to be done manually.
But unfounded speculation swirling online about a potential pilot suicide has sparked anger from one pilot association who insist the crew acted in line with their training should not be vilified.
Those mourning the loss of loved ones killed in the crash last month have also slammed the report, stating they are still yet to find closure as the mystery around the exact cause continues to deepen.
Now, as a probe is launched to look at one of the pilot’s medical records and the CEO or Air India speaks out, we look at the unanswered questions in one of the worst aviation disasters in history.
Chilling cockpit audio
The preliminary report into the disaster revealed the chilling conversation had in the cockpit just moments before the plane crashed and erupted into flames. It sheds light on the moment one of the pilots realised that the fuel cutoff switches had been flipped, leaving the airline with no engine power.
Revealing a panicked exchange, the report said: “In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.”
“At about 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots transmitted “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY”. The ATCO enquired about the call sign. ATCO did not get any response but observed the aircraft crashing outside the airport boundary and activated the emergency response.”
Fuel switch mystery
Aviation experts have been quick to react to the report’s findings that the fuel cutoff switches were seemingly flipped, with one claiming that the crew were “absolutely” the cause.
Captain Mohan Ranganthan, one of India’s key aviation experts, has suggested this potential cause could have been deliberate. Ranganthan, speaking to NDTV, said: “It has to be done manually, it cannot be done automatically or due to a power failure.”
These fuel switches have to be operated by pulling each lever upwards to unlock them before being flipped. These switches also have a protective guard bracket to protect them from accidental nudges or bumps.
At the time the plane went down, one engine was regaining thrust while the other had relit but had not yet recovered power.
Ranganthan added: “The fuel selectors they aren’t the sliding type they are always in a slot. They are to pull them out or move them up or down, so the question of them moving inadvertently out of off position doesn’t happen. It’s a case of deliberate manual selection.”
He then claimed “nothing else” could have caused that possible explanation, adding: “It had to be deliberately done.”
Those investigating the crash say that the fuel switchers, which are level-locked, are designed to prevent accidental activation.
“It would be almost impossible to pull both switches with a single movement of one hand, and this makes accidental deployment unlikely,” an unnamed Canada-based air accidents investigator, told the BBC.
Indian pilots slam ‘disturbing’ claims
A group of Indian pilots have issued a furious statement in response to the report and the speculation it has sparked online. Defending the actions of the Air India crew, The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) say that staff “acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions and the pilots shouldn’t be vilified based on conjecture”.
“To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession,” it fumed.
The preliminary investigation does not offer any clarity on how the switches were moved before the crash, but social media users and some experts have been quick to speculate about the role of the pilots.
“We are deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse – particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide,” the pilot association said.
“Let us be unequivocally clear: there is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage, and invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible – it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved.”
Troubling warning six years before crash
It has also been claimed that Air India was warned about wrongly installed fuel switches more than six years before the terrifying disaster.
The preliminary report into the crash said in December 2018, the US air regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines that fuel switches had been installed in some Boeing 737s “with the locking feature disengaged”.
“If the locking feature is disengaged, the switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting the switch during transition, and the switch would be exposed to the potential of inadvertent operation,” the FAA warned in a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin. “Inadvertent operation of the switch could result in an unintended consequence, such as an in-flight engine shutdown.”
It recommended airlines inspect the switches, including “whether the fuel control switch can be moved between the two positions without lifting up the switch”. Air India suggested such inspections were not carried out because the FAA’s bulletin was “advisory and not mandatory”, according to the report.
The AAIB report says the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models including part number 4TL837-3D fitted in the 787-8 Dreamliner, the model that crashed in Ahmedabad.
Switches are ‘safe’
As the preliminary report continues to rattle the industry, the US aviation regulator has been forced to step in and clarify that the fuel control switches in Boeing planes are safe.
In response to Air India having been warned about wrongly installed switches six years ago, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that its own 2018 advisory “was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged” – but it stated that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe.
“Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787,” said the authority, according to a note seen by the BBC.
“The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate.”
Medical records probe
It emerged today that the medical records of one of the pilots of the doomed Air India plane are being examined after it has been claimed he suffered from poor mental health.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was piloting the Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed and aviation expert Captain Ranganathan has suggested that ‘several’ other pilots had allegedly claimed that he had suffered from poor mental health.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he claimed: “He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years. He had taken medical leave for that.”
The publication said that while Air India declined to comment, an official working with their parent company, Tata Group, said that Captain Sabharwal had not taken any medical leave, with the preliminary report failing to obtain any significant findings.
They added that within the last two years, both pilots onboard the flight had passed the Class I medical exam, which makes an evaluation of their psycho-physical capabilities.
Air India CEO speaks out
In a bid to ease growing concerns, the CEO of Air India Campbell Wilson has clarified that the preliminary report into the disaster found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the plane or its engines.
An internal memo shows Mr Wilson explaining that the airline’s whole 787 fleet had been inspected immediately after the crash and all planes were deemed fit for service, the Independent reports.
He also stated that the pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser test and there were no observations regarding their medical status. Mr Wilson added that the investigation was “far from over”.
Grieving families desperate for truth
Families of the Air India crash victims have slated the ‘vague’ initial investigation as they demand more clarity on the exact cause of the disaster.
A relative of Dhir and Heer Baxi, who were travelling home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday when they died in the crash, said he was not satisfied by the report’s findings.
Ishan Baxi, the cousin of the two victims, said: “We’re still hoping for a more transparent and honest investigation that doesn’t shy away from addressing possible mechanical flaws or lapses in protocol to avoid future potential accidents.
“I just hope the final report brings full clarity on what exactly failed and who’s accountable. It shouldn’t hide behind vague terms.”
And the loved ones grieving a family of three who died in the crash – Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter, Sara Nanabawa – issued a statement. “Moving forwards, we require honesty, transparency and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth,” they said.
“We seek justice and answers, both of which are essential for us to find any sense of closure. We accept God’s fate, but knowing what happened will help ease our hearts and allow us to begin the long journey of healing.
“Above all, we hope that by pursuing the truth, no other family will ever have to endure the shock, uncertainty, and profound sorrow that we have lived through this past month.”
