AI-171 crash: FIP expresses dissatisfaction over exclusion of pilot representatives from AAIB’s investigation process

New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) expressed “serious” concern regarding the preliminary findings and public discourse surrounding the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad.

FIP, in an official statement, expressed their dissatisfaction with the exclusion of pilot representatives from the investigation process, objecting to the way in which the preliminary report has been interpreted and presented publicly.

“At the outset, we would like to register our dissatisfaction with the exclusion of pilot representatives from the investigation process. We also firmly object to the way in which the preliminary report has been interpreted and presented publicly,” FIP said in an official statement.

It claimed that the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lacked comprehensive data and appeared to rely selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to suggest pilot error and question the professional competence and integrity of the flight crew.

“The report, as released, lacks comprehensive data and appears to rely selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to suggest pilot error and question the professional competence and integrity of the flight crew. This approach is neither objective nor complete. We therefore urge our members and the general public not to lend credence to such premature conclusions. Assigning blame before a thorough, transparent, and data-driven investigation is both premature and irresponsible. Such speculative commentary undermines the professionalism of highly trained crew members and causes undue distress to their families and colleagues,” the statement further reads.

The federation further urged all stakeholders to refrain from disseminating partial narratives or making unfounded assumptions. “FIP strongly urges all stakeholders – including the media, commentators, and authorities – to refrain from disseminating partial narratives or making unfounded assumptions. Aviation safety demands a steadfast commitment to facts, integrity, and due process.”

“We stand in solidarity with the crew and their families and reiterate our call for a fair, transparent and evidence-based investigation before any definitive conclusions are drawn,” it added.

The AAIB’s preliminary report, released on Friday, said that both the engines of the aircraft were moved from “run” to “cutoff” in quick succession, which resulted in the fuel supply being cut off. The report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he did the cutoff, which the other pilot denied ever doing.

“The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC, and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The engines N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off,” the preliminary report said.
“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report added.

As per the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) accessed by the AAIB, engine 1’s fuel cut switch transitioned from ‘cutoff’ to ‘run’ at about 8:08:52 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). At 8:08:56 UTC the Engine 2’s fuel switch also went from ‘cutoff’ to ‘run’.

The AI 171 crash of the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, killed 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.