Air India to Review Preliminary Crash Report with Pilots

Quick Summary:

• Air India’s Boeing 787-8 (flight AI171) crashed on June 12, a few seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, killing 241 passengers and crew out of 242 onboard and another 19 on the ground.
• Preliminary investigation by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB) revealed fuel supply to both engines was cut off within one second of each other, causing loss of thrust and immediate descent.
• Cockpit voice recording showed confusion between pilots; one asked why fuel was cut off while the other denied doing so.
• The investigation utilized assistance from U.K. air Accident investigation Branch and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board but faced criticism for lack of clarity by the Airlines Pilots Association of India, questioning absence of cockpit camera footage in findings.
• Air India plans sessions with its pilots to review the preliminary report as part of safety learning measures.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The tragic crash underscores systemic concerns in aviation safety related to human error handling, mechanical safeguards, and investigative transparency. The revelation about engine fuel cutoff raises questions about operational protocols for avoiding such incidents during critical flight stages like takeoff. It also highlights potential gaps in flight training or equipment-related issues that necessitated such manual intervention.Air India’s decision to involve its pilot community in reviewing findings reflects an intention towards collective safety accountability but occurs amidst accusations that the report has prematurely concluded fault without clear evidence or reference to vital data like cockpit video footage. For India’s aviation industry, this presents an opportunity for better cross-agency collaboration with global experts while strengthening oversight mechanisms through technologies like improved black-box integration.

The tragedy’s scale makes it a sobering reminder for policymakers ensuring comprehensive investigations into complex crashes involving lives lost on air and ground alike.

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