Why Indian Pilots are Challenging the AI-171 Investigation

A year after the fatal crash of Air India flight AI-171, which claimed 260 lives, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Thursday challenged the ongoing investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). At a press conference, the body questioned several aspects of the inquiry and renewed its call for a judicial probe into the disaster.

Addressing the media, FIP president C.S. Randhawa also urged the AAIB not to release any interim report and instead publish its findings only after completing a comprehensive investigation. He argued that an interim report would not provide definitive conclusions and would merely fuel speculation and uncertainty surrounding the tragedy.

The FIP chief also highlighted what he described as shortcomings in the probe and alleged that blame had been unfairly shifted onto the pilots.

FIP's Objections

The FIP, which represents more than 5,400 pilots, raised several concerns about the AAIB's investigation into the crash.

The organisation questioned the delay in releasing the final report, arguing that there was still no clarity despite a year having passed since the accident.

"We are completing one year, and there is still no conclusion. So much time and effort has gone into the investigation, yet there is no finality," Randhawa said.

The pilots' body also questioned the delay in interviewing the crash's sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was reportedly questioned 10 months after the accident.

According to the FIP, the survivor could have provided valuable insights into the aircraft's final moments.

"He could have provided crucial evidence. Yet he was questioned much later," Randhawa said.

Calls for Judicial Probe

Randhawa reiterated the pilots' body's demand for a judicial probe, arguing that the current investigation suffers from several deficiencies.

The FIP president drew attention to what he described as an undue focus on the pilots. He said the interim report released last year, which contained excerpts from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), triggered speculation about pilot error or even pilot suicide.

According to The Indian Express, the preliminary report did not include the complete transcript of cockpit conversations. As a result, the limited excerpts cited in the report led many observers to believe that it implicitly pointed towards the flight crew, particularly Captain Sumeet Sabharwal.

"The Western media immediately built a suicide theory around a brief cockpit voice recorder transcript. We strongly condemn those reports. It is too premature to blame the pilots," he said.

Technical Data Gaps

The FIP also alleged gaps in the technical analysis of the Boeing 787 involved in the crash.

Randhawa claimed that subject-matter experts with experience on the Boeing 787 were not part of the investigation team. He argued that the possibility of electrical failures had not been examined adequately.

The federation further claimed that the aircraft's health monitoring system and Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages transmitted before take-off had not been sufficiently analysed.

"Our stand from Day 1 has been that electrical issues need thorough investigation. It is too premature to blame the pilots," he said.

The FIP also questioned the decision to send the aircraft's black boxes to the United States for analysis.

Debate Over Release of Interim Findings

Responding to media reports suggesting that the AAIB may release an interim report on the anniversary of the crash, Randhawa strongly opposed the move.

"Our demand is that no interim report should come. Give the final report. In the interim report, are you coming up with any conclusions? If not, then you are causing more speculation, more misunderstanding, and causing people to go on a tangent," Randhawa told The Indian Express.

Media reports suggest that the final report may take another two months to be released.

He maintained that the purpose of an accident investigation is to establish facts and improve aviation safety, not assign blame.

"The truth must prevail. The objective is to prevent another such accident and ensure justice for the victims and their families," he said.