Air India CEO Says Crash Probe Raises More Questions, Premature to Jump to Any Conclusion

The preliminary report into the crash of Air India flight AI171 last month has raised more questions, the airline's CEO said as he defended the fitness of pilots and aircraft saying no mechanical or maintenance issues have been flagged in the report.

Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said the probe into the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, which killed all but one of the 242 onboard and 19 others on ground, was far from over and it is unwise to jump to any premature conclusions.

"The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions," he said in an internal memo to airline staff.

He said there were no issues with fuel quality or takeoff roll and that the pilots had passed mandatory pre-fight breathalyser tests.

Amid speculation in various quarters about the reasons for the fatal crash that killed 260 people on June 12, the Air India chief said the preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations and urged everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over.

Also Read: Air India AI-171 Crash Probe Indicates Engine Cutoff, Cockpit Confusion in Final Moments

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday released its preliminary report on the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 plane.

The aircraft, which was operating the flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a building soon after takeoff.

In a message to Air India staff, Wilson said "the release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place. Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions".

He noted that the preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed.

"There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the takeoff roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status," he said.

Further, Wilson said out of an abundance of caution and under the oversight of regulator DGCA, every Boeing 787 aircraft operating in our fleet was checked within days of the accident and all were found fit for service.

"We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest," he added.

The airline, he said, will continue to co-operate with the investigators to ensure they have everything they need to conduct a thorough and comprehensive enquiry.

Over the past 30 days, he said there has been an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines, many of which have later been disproven.

"Until a final report or cause is tabled, there will no doubt be new rounds of speculation and more sensational headlines... Let us not be diverted from what are our top priorities: standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world," Wilson said.

He also stressed that the airline must remain focused on its task and be true to the values of integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation, and teamwork.

The AAIB report said the fuel supply to both engines of flight AI171 was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to the ground almost immediately after taking off.

Also Read: Air India CEO Says Crashed Dreamliner Was Well-Maintained, Undergone Last Major Check in Jun 2023

The AAIB report said the fuel supply to both engines of flight AI171 was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to the ground almost immediately after taking off.

The 15-page report also said in the cockpit voice recording, an unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied.

On Sunday, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the crew of the AI171 flight that crashed last month acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions, and the pilots should not be vilified based on conjecture.

Former AAIB chief Aurobindo Handa, on Sunday, said it will be too premature to draw conclusions on the role of pilots from the preliminary investigation report into the fatal crash of the Air India plane last month and the final report will mention about the most probable cause for the accident