Experts Call for Involvement of Additional Specialists in Investigation of Air India Boeing Accident
In the aftermath of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, the Association of Licensed Pilots of Aircraft in India (ALPA-India) and the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) have expressed concerns over the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Both organisations have called for a thorough investigation, urging the Civil Aviation Ministry to include more subject matter experts and airline pilot representatives in the probe.
The preliminary report, which primarily focused on factual information collected by the official investigation team, did not draw definitive conclusions regarding the cause of the crash. It highlighted a conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit of the plane, where one pilot asked, "Why did you cut off?", to which the other responded, "I did not do so." However, the report refrained from explicitly attributing the actions or speculating on motive or technical faults.
The FIP has written a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, requesting a reassessment of the role of mechanical faults. The letter suggests that two technical scenarios, which could have triggered an automated shutdown of the plane’s engines, have not been sufficiently considered in the preliminary report.
ALPA-India has also raised objections to the various interpretations of the probe, alleging that the report relied selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to "suggest pilot error." The pilots' association stated that the crew of the crashed AI-171 flight made every possible effort to protect the passengers onboard. They reiterated their call for a fact-based and respectful discourse, believing the crew deserves respect, not unfounded character judgments.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) follows ICAO Annex 13 standards, which emphasize the publication of factual data first and defer causal analysis to final reports. The full analysis, including consideration of alternate technical explanations, is expected in the final investigation report. The investigation continues in cooperation with international agencies and independent experts to explore all plausible causes.
In a statement, ALPA-India called for a thorough investigation before "assigning blame." They urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to include more subject matter experts in the investigation, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive probe to ensure justice for the victims and their families. The FIP echoed these sentiments, urging a careful examination of all potential causes, including technical malfunctions and systemic failures within Boeing aircraft, which have been initially attributed to pilot error or suicidal intent in the past, only to be disproven by subsequent investigations.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has requested the Civil Aviation Ministry to reassess the role of potential mechanical faults in light of two technical scenarios that could have triggered an automatic shutdown of the plane's engines, as these scenarios appear to have been insufficiently considered in the preliminary report.
ALPA-India has raised objections to the selective use of paraphrased cockpit voice recordings in the report, which they believe suggests pilot error, when in reality the crew of the crashed Air India flight made every possible effort to protect the passengers onboard. Both organizations are advocating for a thorough investigation involving more subject matter experts, urging for a comprehensive probe before assigning blame.
