The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) on Saturday demanded a fair and transparent investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171, raising concerns that the ongoing probe appears skewed toward blaming pilot error. In a strongly worded statement, ALPA India said the tone and direction of the preliminary investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) suggests a presumption of pilot fault, which the association "categorically rejects". “We feel the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots, and we strongly object to this line of thought,” ALPA India said.
The fatal crash involved a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that plunged into a medical college hostel near Ahmedabad airport just seconds after takeoff, killing 260 people, including all but one of the 242 onboard and 19 on the ground.
'Bias, secrecy, and lack of qualified investigators'
ALPA India, a member of the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), alleged secrecy and lack of transparency in the probe, and called for its representatives to be allowed observer status to ensure accountability. “We are surprised at the continued secrecy surrounding these investigations. Suitably qualified personnel are not being taken on board for such crucial inquiries,” the statement added.
The association also pointed to a serviceability bulletin related to the aircraft’s fuel control switch gates, questioning whether Air India had implemented the recommended checks before the flight.
What the AAIB report said
The AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report confirmed that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within one second of each other, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust. A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel was cut off, a query met with denial.
No conclusions yet, says AAIB
While the report provided detailed timeline-based insights into the aircraft’s final 98 seconds, it did not determine the exact reason for the fuel shutoff or assign blame to any party. Air India, in a statement following the report’s release, said it would engage with its pilot community through internal sessions to review the findings and address safety concerns.
ALPA India reiterated its call for a fact-based, non-prejudiced investigation, emphasising that premature assumptions could compromise the integrity of the final report.
(With inputs from PTI)