NEW DELHI, Jul 14: Two major pilot associations have strongly rejected suggestions that pilot error or deliberate action caused last month’s Air India crash that killed 260 people, after a preliminary investigation found the aircraft’s engine fuel switches had been moved to the “cutoff” position moments before impact.
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) issued statements on Sunday in response to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) initial findings, which have triggered speculation among aviation experts that human intervention could have led to the crash of Flight AI171.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12. The preliminary AAIB report, released on Saturday, did not assign blame but noted that cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why he had cut off the fuel supply. The second pilot reportedly denied doing so.
The report also did not clarify which pilot made the “Mayday” distress call before the crash, nor did it detail the full exchange between the cockpit crew.
The ICPA described the emerging speculation as “deeply disturbing,” particularly the “reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.”
“There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage,” the association said. “To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession.”
United States-based aviation safety expert John Cox told Reuters that it is unlikely the fuel switches were moved accidentally: “You can’t bump them and they move,” he said.
ALPA India, which represents around 800 commercial pilots, also raised concerns about the investigation process, accusing the AAIB of a lack of transparency and suggesting it was being “driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots.”
“We strongly object to this line of thought,” ALPA India President Sam Thomas said, urging the inclusion of suitably qualified personnel and observers in the probe to ensure transparency.
Meanwhile, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson cautioned against drawing early conclusions. “The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations,” he said. “The investigation is far from over.”
The June 12 crash claimed the lives of all but one of the 242 people onboard, along with 19 people on the ground. The final report from the AAIB is expected to shed more light on what led to the tragic accident.
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