The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has come out strongly against an article published by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), accusing the report of unfairly attributing blame to the captain in the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The WSJ report claimed that the crash was a result of a "pilot's mistake" involving the movement of fuel control switches on board the ill-fated aircraft. FIP chief CS Randhawa criticised the US media outlet stating that the preliminary investigation report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released last week, does not blame the pilots for the crash.
FIP chief strongly refutes allegations
"Nowhere in the report has it been mentioned that the fuel control switch was turned off due to the pilot's mistake. I condemn the article by the Wall Street Journal. They said it was the pilot's mistake. They have not read the report properly, and we will take action against them through FIP," Randhawa told the news agency ANI. He further said, "Indian pilots are among the best in the world. I did not give my opinion to the Wall Street Journal, which had approached me as well, because I am against this American media. They are deliberately giving their own opinion, their own views from this report, while there is nothing like this in the report. So I very strongly condemn this report of the Wall Street Journal and we will take action on it."
What did AAIB report reveal?
The AAIB’s initial report noted that both fuel control switches were found in the "cut-off" position instead of "run" shortly after take-off, quoting a brief but chilling exchange between the pilots: "Why did you cut off fuel?" asked one. The other replied, “I did not do so.” The report, however, did not specify which pilot made which statement, nor did it indicate whether the act was intentional or accidental.
What does the WSJ report say?
Despite this, the WSJ's recent article has pointed the finger at Captain Sabharwal, alleging, based on unnamed sources and cockpit recordings, that he was the one who cut off the fuel flow to both engines just moments after take-off. The report acknowledged findings ruling out mechanical or maintenance faults, yet placed emphasis on human error --something not corroborated by the official probe. "A black-box recording of dialogue between the flight’s two pilots indicates it was the captain who turned off switches that controlled fuel flowing to the plane's two engines, according to people familiar with US officials' early assessment of evidence uncovered in the crash investigation," the WSJ report stated.
Experts warn against premature blame
Aviation experts and pilot associations have expressed concern over what they see as premature conclusions and a potentially damaging narrative by the US media outlet. The FIP maintained that such speculative reporting undermines the integrity of ongoing investigations and disrespects the lives lost in the tragic incident. FIP, in an official statement, also expressed their dissatisfaction with the exclusion of pilot representatives from the investigation process, objecting to the way in which the preliminary report has been interpreted and presented publicly.
MoS Civil Aviation remarks on WSJ report
Reacting to The Wall Street Journal's report, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has advised against jumping to conclusions based on preliminary findings. Speaking to reporters, Mohol said that the investigation report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which forms the basis of the ongoing probe, is still in its primary stage. "Data was recovered from the black box which was in the custody of AAIB. A lot of details came out through that. I think their report is on a primary base. They have also said that this is not the final report. So, it won't be correct to reach a conclusion. When the final report comes, everything will come out that what was the reason," the minister added.
Air India plane crash
Earlier on June 12, the Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, resulting in the deaths of 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. The flight was being operated by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder.
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