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Two media houses get pilot bodies' notice for coverage of Air India crash report
The body has launched a legal notice against WSJ and Reuters, demanding apologies and retractions for what it calls “baseless” and “defamatory” coverage.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has launched a legal notice against The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, demanding apologies and retractions for what it calls “baseless” and “defamatory” coverage surrounding the crash of Air India Flight AI‑171, reports news agency ANI.
A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the June 12 tragedy revealed that both fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flipped from “Run” to “Cutoff” shortly after takeoff. According to cockpit voice recordings, one pilot asked why the fuel had been cut off; the other replied that he had not done it. The AAIB report neither specifies who toggled the switches nor assigns blame.
However, the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources “familiar with US officials’ early assessment of evidence,” suggested the captain deliberately turned off the fuel switches—an assertion echoed in a Reuters story that implied the captain was at fault.
The legal notice seeks a full apology and correction from both outlets.
"Nowhere in the report has it been mentioned that the fuel control switch was turned off due to the pilot’s mistake... They have not read the report properly, and we will take action," said FIP President Captain CS Randhawa.
Criticism over interpretation of Air India probe report
Multiple pilot associations, such as the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA‑I), have called for restraint and cautioned against speculative media narratives, warning these could damage public trust in India’s aviation system.
The AAIB itself issued a strong rebuke to international media, urging respect for victims’ families and emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing and too preliminary to select a definitive cause.
The US federal agency, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), responsible for the investigation of aviation accidents and significant transportation events in the country, said it is too early to draw conclusions in the investigation into the deadly June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171, following media reports over senior pilot's role in cutting off fuel switches of both engines.
In the statement, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said, "Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time. We fully support the AAlB's public appeal, which was released Thursday, and will continue to support its ongoing investigation. All investigative questions should be addressed to the AAIB."
