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Air India crash probe report: Pilots' guild decries ‘conclusions based on half-verified data’
‘We find the current report incomplete in critical areas — specifically the unexplained dual engine shutdown…’ Indian Pilots Guild says
The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) on Monday expressed “deep concern” over the preliminary probe report on the Air India crash of June 12 in Ahmedabad. “We find the current report incomplete in critical areas — specifically the unexplained dual engine shutdown and absence of detailed cockpit communication,” the guild's communique to its members said.
The government has also underlined that the 15-page report is preliminary as the probe is still on.
Details in the preliminary report have ignited angry reactions from the pilot community, especially as the report showed that one of the flight's pilots had asked the other about why the fuel had been cut-off, to which the second pilot said he had not done so. It remains to be probed if and why the fuel switch went from RUN to CUTOFF and back within seconds of the takeoff.
Earlier, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) had also criticised the probe for "being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots”.
The crash caused 260 deaths with only one of the passengers surviving.
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“Let us be clear: premature conclusions based on half-verified data are irresponsible. They harm reputations, delay real safety lessons, and distract from the pursuit of truth,” said the guild, adding that the crew of the crashed flight Al-171 “deserves a thorough, fact-driven investigation, not conjecture or sensationalism”.
It called upon media outlets, influencers and institutions to “uphold restraint, empathy, and respect for due process”. It urged the investigative bodies to deliver a conclusive and technically sound report “in the spirit of accountability and truth”.
Regulator action
Meanwhile, India's aviation watchdog DGCA on Monday directed airlines to inspect the fuel switch locking system in their Boeing 787 and 737 planes, PTI reported.
There are more than 150 Boeing 737s and 787s being operated by Indian airlines. Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and IndiGo are the domestic carriers who have these in their fleets.
