Cockpit dialogue over Air India crash concerning fuel regulation systems revealed
The ongoing investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 crash that occurred last month, claiming the lives of 241 passengers and 19 people on the ground, has taken a new turn with the suggestion that one of the two pilots may have deliberately interrupted the fuel supply.
According to preliminary reports, the fuel control switches for the aircraft's engines were moved to the 'cut-off' position during ascent, leading to a fuel supply interruption and the subsequent crash. This revelation has sparked controversy, with experts suggesting that accidentally switching the fuel controls to cut-off is unlikely, indicating a more complex cause than simple human error.
The cockpit voice recordings reveal a conversation between the pilots, with one questioning the other about why the fuel was cut off, to which the other denied doing so. However, airworthiness expert Heinrich Großbongardt has stated that these regulators cannot be moved accidentally.
The investigation, involving experts from Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration, engine manufacturer GE, and others, remains ongoing. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA-I) has publicly rejected the implication of pilot error, accusing the investigation of bias and calling for a fair, fact-based inquiry.
The families of victims remain deeply unsettled, expressing frustration and many unanswered questions about whether the tragedy could have been prevented. Air India has received the preliminary report but cannot comment on specific details due to the ongoing investigation.
The crash occurred on June 12, with the aircraft, bound for London, crashing into a residential area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and bursting into flames. The aircraft's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) emergency system was deployed as the aircraft initially climbed.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the report has found "no recommendations for the operators and manufacturers of Boeing 787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engines." The controls for the fuel supply of the two engines jumped almost simultaneously to the 'off' position immediately after takeoff, with a one-second interval between switch 1 and switch 2.
Grossbongardt further suggests that either pilot could have turned off the fuel supply and there may have been an attempt to cover tracks. The incident has prompted comprehensive investigations and likely speculations about who was responsible for the tragedy.
[1] Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, Preliminary Report on the Air India Express Boeing 787-8 aircraft accident at Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 08.06.2023.
- The investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 crash has raised questions within the aviation industry, as experts find it unlikely that the fuel controls were accidentally switched to cut-off, potentially implicating financing and liability issues in the transportation and finance sectors.
- In light of the claims suggesting one pilot may have deliberately interrupted the fuel supply, aviation experts such as Heinrich Großbongardt have pointed out that such regulatory adjustments cannot be made unintentionally, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing finance and industry scrutiny surrounding the tragedy.
