Editorial: Agonising wait for AI crash probe report 

The delay in final report on the Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people, deepens the mystery and raises concerns

A year after the deadliest crash in Air India’s history, which claimed 260 lives, there are more questions than answers on what led to the tragedy near Ahmedabad airport involving Air India flight 171 bound for London. On June 12 last year, Boeing’s Dreamliner crashed outside the airport perimeter 32 seconds after take-off, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground. For the kin of the accident victims, the agonising wait continues as the final report of the probe has been delayed. In the normal course, investigators are required to submit the final report within one year of the crash. Reports suggest that the investigators are still awaiting the completion of detailed analysis involving the aircraft’s engines, a process regarded as central to establishing the sequence of events that led to the accident. The GE Aerospace-made engines have been at the centre of the probe into the crash. Instead of releasing the final report this week, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to issue a status update outlining the reasons behind the delay and the progress made so far. The investigation continues to spark intense controversy both in India and abroad. Amid claims of corporate influence and political pressure, it has triggered a debate over the conduct of such inquiries. The most critical unknown is what led to both engines shutting down.

A preliminary report, issued by AAIB a month after the incident, had triggered controversy and added another layer of mystery to the disaster. It noted that the fuel control switches were shut down within a second of each other, starving the engines of fuel and triggering a total power loss. This raises several unsettling questions about what really happened in the cockpit of the doomed flight. The preliminary report said the fuel control switches for both engines were shifted from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’, resulting in an immediate loss of altitude. Since these switches are designed to operate only manually, the question is, why would any sane pilot deliberately operate the fuel cut-off switches right after the take-off? This report led to a backlash with pilots’ groups, and the bereaved relatives warned against premature narratives undermining the integrity of the investigative process. The pilots’ association believes that an interim report, while the investigation is still on, could fuel conspiracy theories and speculation. The final probe report could have global ramifications for aircraft manufacturers, operators and safety regulators. Even months after the crash, some Western news outlets reported that the probe is purportedly zeroing in on deliberate action by one of the pilots. The final report may well reveal some uncomfortable findings. It was the world’s first crash involving a 787 Dreamliner, a Boeing model in service since 2011. For the manufacturer, the conclusions will determine its safety and quality.

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