Pilot's fault or 'chip malfunction'? What's the real reason behind Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad? Here's what we know
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pilot's fault or 'chip malfunction'? What's the real reason behind Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad? Here's what we know")
Pilot's fault or 'chip malfunction'? What's the real reason behind Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad? Here's what we know Photograph: (Representative image (AI))
Marco Chan said it could be the result of a chip malfunction rather than human error. He points to a previously issued service bulletin from the engine manufacturer advising maintenance of a flawed chip to prevent signal loss.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIM) released the investigation report on Saturday (July 12) in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The major revelation in the probe was that the fuel to both engines of the aircraft was in CUTOFF mode just seconds after the takeoff. Moreover, the voice cockpit voice recording revealed that one of the pilots noticed it and asked the co-pilot, “Why did you cut off?” The other pilot responded that he did not do so. According to aviation experts, the fuel switch cannot be accidentally moved. But if moved, the effect would be immediate, cutting off engine power.
This made everyone wonder about the mystery behind the incident. Talking to the news agency Reuters, former pilot and senior lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, Marco Chan, said it could be the result of a chip malfunction rather than human error. He points to a previously issued service bulletin from the engine manufacturer advising maintenance of a flawed chip to prevent signal loss.
“I believe the FAA has - together with GE, General Electric, the engine manufacturer - has issued a service bulletin, i.e. I believe it was about 11,000 cycles, they will have to replace the chip. And if it is not replaced or maintenance isn't done correctly, it could lead to intermittent loss of signal. Once you have a loss of signal, the fuel isn’t commanded, i.e. in the CUTOFF position, then there's no fuel going to the engine," Chan said, Reuters reported.
He said that it would be a challenge for pilots in the aircraft to accidentally move the switches to the CUTOFF mode.
“You have to physically sort of - not pull the pin - but if you have to pull the toggle out, then it can move to a different position. So, you do have to do it on purpose, not accidentally knocking it to the wrong position. Very rarely that can happen, or close to zero," he added.
Pilots' body is not happy with the report
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
Hours after the probe revelation, the Pilots’ Association of India alleged that the investigation is being done presuming that the pilots were at fault. The association claimed that “suitably qualified personnel are not taken on board" for the probe into the crash.
The association released a statement in which it said, “We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots and we strongly object to this line of thought."
