Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday urged the public and the media not to rush to conclusions over the cause of the June 12 Air India crash, stating that the preliminary findings released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are just the beginning of a complex investigation.
“This is a preliminary report. At the ministry, we are analysing it thoroughly and coordinating with AAIB to extend any support they need. We hope the final report is released soon so that we can arrive at some concrete conclusions,” Naidu told reporters, describing the probe as “challenging”.
The initial 15 page AAIB report revealed a startling sequence of events: just three seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad, fuel supply to both engines of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating as Air India Flight 171, was cut off. The aircraft's fuel control switches flipped from the “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position within a second of each other.
However, the report stops short of establishing whether the switch toggles were inadvertent or deliberate, leaving a critical question unanswered.
The cockpit voice recorder captured a brief but revealing exchange between the pilots. One pilot reportedly asked the other, “Why did you cut off the fuel?”, to which the second pilot replied, “I didn’t.”
The flight was under the command of 56-year-old Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran with over 15,000 hours of flying experience. The co-pilot was 32-year-old Clive Kunder, who had clocked 3,403 flight hours.
Naidu emphasised that India’s aviation personnel remain among the best globally. “I truly believe we have the most wonderful workforce in terms of pilots and crew. They are the backbone of the aviation industry,” he said, backing the crew and urging against premature speculation.
Echoing similar caution, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said, “It would be inappropriate to draw firm conclusions from a preliminary report. The AAIB is an autonomous body and is carrying out its work diligently.”
The final investigation report is expected to offer clarity on what exactly transpired during the flight's ill-fated climb—and whether human error, mechanical malfunction, or other factors were responsible.
Meanwhile, the Airline Pilots' Association of India on Saturday demanded a fair and fact-based probe into the crash as it claimed that the tone and direction of the investigation into the Air India plane crash suggests a bias towards pilot error.
"The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias towards pilot error... ALPA India categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry," Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) said in a statement, reported news agency PTI.
The association has also demanded that its representatives should be observers in the investigation process to ensure transparency and accountability.
ALPA Indiais a member associate of the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association (IFALPA).
Air India has said that it will take on board its pilot community by holding dedicated sessions in the coming days to review the preliminary investigation report.
"Preliminary investigation report has been officially released in the recent tragic accident involving our flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12. As aviation professionals, we understand top importance from every safety event is the learning to ensure safe skies," Air India senior vice president for flight operations, Manish Uppal said in a communication to pilots.
This tragedy, he said, has deeply influenced the aviation fraternity and Air India pilot community.
"The initial report gives the airline an initial insight. This is not the last word, but an important step in identifying factors and ensuring that all possible measures are taken to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring," he said in the communication.
In the communication, he also said that pilots are trained to stay under pressure, to continuously learn, and to act decisively when it matters most, adding, "let us apply the same now. Together, we will reflect, react and rise more than before."
"We will organize a dedicated session in the coming days to review the report together," Uppal said in the communication.
(With inputs from PTI)
