US EditionPilot Groups Reject Claims of Human Error in Air India Crash
INDIA, JUL 14 – Pilot associations reject premature blame on flight crew after preliminary report shows fuel supply cutoff caused Air India AI 171 crash that killed 260, urging patience for final findings.
- On July 12, 2025, the AAIB released its preliminary report on the Air India flight AI 171 crash, indicating fuel switches moved to 'cutoff' seconds after takeoff and suggesting possible pilot action.
- Pilot unions sharply rejected presumptions of guilt, with ICPA condemning speculation of pilot suicide and ALPA India objecting to perceived bias, asserting the crew acted responsibly.
- In the AAIB timeline, at about 08:08:42 UTC, the fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF with a one-second gap; the cockpit voice recording captures one pilot asking 'why did he cut off?'
- Regulator’s directive requires findings by July 21, Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO, said no mechanical issues were found.
- Meanwhile, pilot representatives are pressing for investigative inclusion, and ALPA-I is exploring legal action to ensure pilot inclusion in the probe.
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66 Articles
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Mumbai: Indian Pilots Guild, an association of Air India pilots, on Monday slammed the preliminary report on Boeing 787-8 plane crash on June 12, saying that the crew of AI171 deserves a thorough, “fact-driven investigation” and not conjecture or sensationalism. In a communication to its members, the managing committee of Air India wide-body aircraft pilots also said that the report that “omits vital technical explanations and cockpit voice tran…
Pilot groups reject claims of human error in Air India crash
Two major commercial pilots’ associations have rejected claims human error caused an Air India crash that killed 260 people after a preliminary investigation report found the plane’s engine fuel switches had been turned off.
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