Two prominent pilot associations, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India), have strongly disputed preliminary findings suggesting human error in the June 12 Air India Flight AI171 crash, which claimed 260 lives.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report, released Saturday, noted that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s fuel control switches were moved from “run” to “cutoff” before the crash.
This led to immediate thrust and altitude loss, resulting in the disaster shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport.
The ICPA condemned speculative narratives, particularly suggestions of pilot suicide, calling them “reckless and unfounded” and lacking evidence.
ALPA India criticized the investigation’s lack of transparency, alleging insufficient involvement of qualified personnel.
“We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots,” said ALPA India President Sam Thomas.
The associations demanded greater involvement in the probe to ensure fairness and clarity, with ALPA requesting observer status for the AAIB.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and urged against premature conclusions.
The preliminary report did not assign blame or identify a cause, leaving many questions unanswered about the cockpit actions.
The crash, one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters, killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground.
Both pilot groups stressed the need for a thorough, evidence-based investigation to honor the victims and uphold professional integrity.