The final probe report into the Air India flight AI 171 crash, which killed 260 people last year, is expected to be released on the first anniversary of the tragedy on June 12. It could provide the most detailed explanation yet of what went wrong in one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to share key findings into the crash that claimed the lives of 241 of the 242 people on board and another 19 on the ground.
Some reports, mostly from Western media earlier, suggested that the fuel supply to both engines may have been cut off due to pilot action. This means the switches that control fuel flow might have been moved in the cockpit.
The biggest question in the Air India AI 171 crash investigation is still this: how did the fuel control switches move from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” right after take-off? RUN means fuel is flowing and the engines are operating normally, while CUTOFF means fuel supply is stopped and the engines shut down.
The important part of the AI 171 investigation is the aircraft’s black boxes. Aircraft usually have two flight recorders, one in the front and one in the tail. Investigators were able to successfully recover data from the front flight recorder but the tail-mounted recorder was badly damaged.
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One pilot was heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel. The other pilot replied that he did not do it. At least one pilot believed the fuel had been cut off, but the other denied doing it.
Another group of experts, including some Indian pilots, aviation safety specialists, and even a few whistleblowers from Boeing, believe it may not have been human action at all. Instead, they suspect a serious electrical or system malfunction could have caused the fuel to shut off on its own.
For the past year, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Civil Aviation Ministry have mostly stayed quiet about the Air India AI 171 crash investigation. So far, they have only shared the preliminary report and a few press statements to respond to or deny foreign media reports based on leaks from the US or Europe.
Recent reports from agencies like Reuters and Bloomberg suggest that the final report may be delayed by a few months. Last month, investigators visited France to study parts linked to the engine control system. They are also analyzing the engine management unit.
Global aviation investigations follow rules are set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) under Annex 13. A final crash report should ideally be published within 12 months, if possible. If the final report is not ready within one year, then the investigating agency must release an interim statement every year on the anniversary.
ALSO READ: Air India Crash Report Delayed Beyond One-Year Anniversary; Engine Analysis Cited
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