Air India Crash: Are Pilots to be Blamed?

The recent preliminary official report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has ignited a fresh wave of debate and speculation. While the report aimed to shed light on the tragic incident, it appears to have left many critical questions unanswered, particularly concerning the role of the pilots and potential underlying mechanical or electrical failures.

The initial release of the Air India Crash Report surprisingly coincided with a rise in Boeing’s stock prices, leading some to interpret this as an indication that the aircraft manufacturer was absolved of blame. This immediate market reaction, coupled with the report’s perceived emphasis, has sparked concerns about whether the pilots are being unfairly scrutinized, especially given their inability to provide their own defense.

Pre-Flight Preparations and Initial Glitches Highlighted in Air India Crash Report

• Prior Maintenance Issue: On June 12th, prior to the incident flight, the aircraft had landed in Ahmedabad from Delhi. The previous flight crew had reported an issue with the stabilizer position transducer, a critical sensor for the horizontal stabilizer.
• Maintenance Clearance: Air India’s maintenance engineers reportedly addressed and rectified this issue, subsequently clearing the aircraft for its next scheduled flight.
• Pilot Readiness: The Mumbai-based pilots assigned to the incident flight were well-rested and successfully passed all pre-flight breathalyzer tests. The co-pilot was designated as the pilot flying (PF), with the captain serving as the pilot monitoring (PM).
• Weight and Fuel Checks: Both fuel levels and take-off weights were confirmed to be within the permissible operational limits for the flight.

Unraveling the Crash Timeline: Key Events from the Air India Crash Report

• Take-off: The ill-fated flight commenced its take-off at 13:38:39 IST.
• Peak Speed: Just seconds later, at 13:38:42, the aircraft achieved its maximum speed of 180 knots.
• Sudden Engine Shutdown: Crucially, immediately after reaching peak speed, the fuel cut-off switches for both engines moved from the “run” (on) to the “cut-off” (off) position. This action sequentially halted the fuel supply to both engines, with a mere one-second interval between the two.
• RAT Deployment: The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed as an emergency measure to provide hydraulic power, but its effectiveness was severely limited by the aircraft’s low altitude.
• Critical Cockpit Exchange: The cockpit voice recorder captured a chilling exchange: one pilot questioned, “Why did you cut off?” to which the other responded, “I did not do so.” The report, however, notably omits further details of this conversation or the identities of the speakers.
• Attempted Engine Restart: Approximately 10 seconds after the fuel supply was interrupted, the pilots attempted to restore power, turning the first engine’s switch back to “on” at 13:38:52, followed by the second engine’s switch four seconds later at 13:38:56.
• Partial Recovery: While the first engine managed to recover, the second engine unfortunately did not.
• Mayday Call: At 13:39:05, the pilots urgently issued a “Mayday” call three times to Air Traffic Control.
• Flight Data Recorder Ceases: The flight data recorder ceased operation at 13:39:11, presumed to be the time of the fatal impact. This information is crucial for understanding the Air India Crash Report.

Contradictory Theories and Lingering Debates Surrounding the Air India Crash Report

• Pilot Suicide/Intentional Crash Theory: Some have put forth the grim theory of pilot suicide or an intentional crash, citing the “Why did you cut off?” question as potential evidence. However, this is strongly countered by the other pilot’s denial and the subsequent, desperate attempts to restart the engines. Furthermore, the pilots’ unblemished records and absence of any known mental health issues significantly undermine this theory.
• Accidental Switch Operation: The report explains that the fuel cut-off switches are equipped with a robust stop-lock mechanism, making an accidental operation, even by brushing against them, highly improbable, especially for two switches in rapid succession. This makes the accidental operation theory for the Air India Crash Report less likely.
• Electrical/Software Malfunction or Maintenance Issue:
  • A 2018 FAA bulletin had previously flagged issues with Boeing 737 fuel control switches, where the locking feature could become disengaged, potentially allowing the switch mode to change without the necessary pulling action. The crashed Boeing 787 was among the aircraft types mentioned in this advisory.
  • Disturbingly, Air India reportedly did not perform the recommended inspection for this issue, as the FAA advisory was not mandatory.
  • While the throttle control module (which houses the fuel cut-off switch) on the crashed plane had been replaced twice (in 2019 and 2023), the report states these replacements were unrelated to the switches themselves.

Widespread Criticism of the Preliminary Air India Crash Report

The preliminary Air India Crash Report has faced considerable criticism from various quarters:

• Lack of Transparency: The report’s inclusion of only a single line from the critical cockpit conversation has raised serious questions about transparency and potential bias aimed at shifting blame towards the pilots.
• Feasibility Concerns: Both the Air Line Pilots Association of India (ALPA-India) and retired Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor have voiced concerns regarding the report’s conclusions, particularly questioning the feasibility of manually turning off both fuel cut-off switches within a one-second timeframe.

Looking Ahead: The Final Air India Crash Report

This preliminary Air India Crash Report serves as an initial overview, and a more comprehensive and conclusive final report is anticipated within the next year. It is imperative that the final report offers complete transparency, addresses the many unanswered questions, and provides a definitive understanding of the chain of events that led to this tragic incident, ensuring that lessons are learned and future occurrences are prevented. The families of the victims, and indeed the entire aviation community, await a truly conclusive and unbiased Air India Crash Report.