Air India Responds to Preliminary Report on AI171 Crash, Reaffirms Commitment to Families and Investigation

TDT | Manama

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Air India has issued a formal statement following the release of the preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the tragic crash of Flight AI171, which claimed 260 lives earlier this year.

The airline reaffirmed its support for the ongoing investigation and extended its condolences to those affected. “Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time,” the airline said.

Air India confirmed receipt of the 15-page preliminary AAIB report, released on July 12, but declined to comment on the findings, citing the active status of the investigation. “We acknowledge receipt of the preliminary report released by the AAIB today. As the investigation continues, we will refrain from commenting on specific details and refer all queries to the investigating authority,” the airline added.

Key Findings in the AAIB Report

The AAIB report stops short of assigning blame but sheds light on crucial technical events during the final moments of the flight. According to cockpit voice recordings, one pilot questioned the other on why the fuel had been cut off, to which the second pilot reportedly responded, “I did not.”

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London, suffered a catastrophic failure less than a minute after takeoff. The report states that both engines' fuel control switches moved from the "RUN" to the "CUTOFF" position within one second of each other, cutting power at the aircraft’s highest recorded speed. Though the switches were briefly returned to "RUN" and the engines appeared to respond, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly. A “MAYDAY” call was transmitted before the plane crashed.

Only one of the 242 people on board survived the impact, along with 19 fatalities on the ground.

Possible Mechanical Fault?

The report noted a 2018 FAA bulletin warning of a potential flaw in fuel control switches on Boeing aircraft, which could inadvertently shift to "cutoff" without the locking mechanism engaging. However, inspections for this issue were not mandatory, and the Air India aircraft had not been checked for the defect.

Jeff Guzzetti, former chief of accident investigations at the US Federal Aviation Administration, stated: “We now know — with some degree of confidence — that both engines rolled back because these fuel switches were activated. We just don’t know why or how.”

The AAIB has not issued any safety recommendations for Boeing 787 or GE engine operators at this time.

As the probe continues, aviation experts say the focus will now shift to determining whether pilot error, mechanical malfunction, or a combination of factors led to one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.