Preliminary Probe Sparks Outrage Over Alleged Blame Game
New Delhi: A fresh twist has emerged in the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171, with a US media report blaming the captain for cutting fuel to the engines just after takeoff. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing cockpit voice recordings and US officials, claimed that the captain manually turned off the fuel control switches—a move that led to the fatal crash.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was headed to London from Ahmedabad when it crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building, killing 260 people—including 241 on board and 19 on the ground. The incident occurred within seconds of takeoff.
The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (56), with 15,638 hours of flying experience, and First Officer Clive Kunder (32), who had 3,403 hours of flight experience.
According to the WSJ report, cockpit recordings revealed that the first officer asked the captain why the fuel switches were moved from “run” to “cutoff.” The report says the first officer panicked, while the captain stayed calm.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India also confirmed in its preliminary report that both fuel control switches moved to the “cutoff” position just after liftoff. However, it did not confirm who moved the switches.
Fuel control switches are critical. They regulate how much fuel goes into the engines. Experts say accidental movement is highly unlikely.
This suggestion of pilot error has sparked protests from Indian pilot unions. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) expressed strong dissatisfaction with the way the report has been interpreted.
“Assigning blame before a thorough, transparent, and data-driven investigation is both premature and irresponsible,” the FIP said.
Another group, Air Line Pilots’ Association – India (ALPA India), said that the crew deserves respect, not speculation.
“The crew of AI 171 made every possible effort – till their very last breath – to protect the passengers on board and minimize harm on the ground,” the statement said.
There is also a theory under investigation that a technical glitch could have caused the fuel switches to move to “cutoff” without pilot input. An Indian Express report claimed that software or electrical failures are being probed.
Air India has checked all fuel control switch locking mechanisms on its Boeing 787 fleet and found no issues.
The Government of India has urged caution, reminding the public that this is only a preliminary report. The final report may take a year and will confirm the exact cause.
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