'Captain cut fuel flow to engines': US report puts onus on senior pilot; Indian pilots raise objections
PTC Web Desk: A leading pilots' association has raised serious concerns over the preliminary investigation report into the recent Air India crash, which appears to place responsibility on the flight crew. This comes alongside a fresh report from the United States that, based on cockpit voice recordings, suggests the aircraft’s captain may have inadvertently shut off fuel supply to the engines moments after takeoff.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US officials analysing the black box data believe the captain manually turned the fuel control switches to the "cutoff" position. The aircraft, Air India flight AI 171 bound for London, crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad, tragically killing all 260 persons aboard—including 241 passengers and crew—as well as 19 persons individuals on the ground when it slammed into a hostel building at BJ Medical College.
Commanding the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was 56-year-old Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 15,000 hours of flight experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, who had logged over 3,400 hours. The US report noted that the first officer questioned the captain shortly after takeoff on why the fuel switches were moved from "run" to "cutoff," to which the captain reportedly remained calm.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), responding to the preliminary findings, expressed dismay at what it called an incomplete and potentially misleading portrayal of the pilots’ role in the incident. “We strongly object to pilot representatives being excluded from the investigation process. Prematurely assigning fault without a complete and data-driven investigation is both unprofessional and unjust,” said a statement from FIP.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed in its initial probe that both fuel control switches were moved to the "cutoff" position within a second of each other after takeoff. However, it did not specify whether the action was intentional or identify which pilot was responsible. The report did note an exchange between the pilots in which one asked the other about cutting fuel supply, with the latter denying having done so.
Aviation experts have cast doubt on the likelihood of such switches being accidentally activated due to their design. Following the incident, Air India inspected the locking mechanisms on similar Boeing 787 aircraft and reported no issues.
Adding a new dimension to the investigation, a report by The Indian Express revealed that authorities are also examining whether an electrical or software malfunction could have triggered the fuel cutoff without pilot input.
The government has urged restraint, reminding the public that the current findings are preliminary and a final, comprehensive report could take up to a year.
- With inputs from agencies
