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Allegations of human error 'deeply insensitive': Pilots' body after Air India crash report
Air India flight 171 was headed for London's Gatwick airport on June 12, when it crashed minutes after taking off from Ahemdabad's airport.
In the wake of the Air India crash report, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association has raised its concerns regarding the accusations against the pilots of flight AI 171.
In an official statement, the ICPA called the accusations and allegations against the pilots and flight crew a "gross violation" and "disservice to the profession."
"In the aftermath of this incident, 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," said ICPA.
Also Read: Pilots’ body rebuts AI crash preliminary report, hints at bias
"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," it added further.
Any mention of pilot error or suicide "in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession."
Air India flight 171 was headed for London's Gatwick airport on June 12, when it crashed minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The flight, which had 242 passengers on board (including cabin crew), crashed into BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad.
The accident, which is among the deadliest aviation accidents recorded, killed a total of 260 people - 241 on board and 19 on the ground at the crash site.
The sole survivor of the plane has been identified as a 40-year-old British national Vishwas Kumar Ramesh.
Air India crash report released
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its 15-page preliminary report on the Air India crash on Saturday, July 12.
In the report, the sequence of events for the ill-fated flight was laid out, offering the first official insight into what may have happened.
Also Read: Key to fatal Air India crash mystery: 32 seconds in flight deck
As per the report, the fuel to both engines was cut off shortly after takeoff. Based on the AAIB report, the fuel control switches were found in the "cutoff" position.
"At about 08:08:42 UTC (1:38pm, 42 seconds) and immediately thereafter, the engine 1 and engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec,” stated the report.
“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 sp," the report added further.
