UK investigative agency reviewing AAIB's Air India AI171 crash report publish— Here's what experts say
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "UK investigative agency reviewing AAIB's Air India AI171 crash report publish— Here's what experts say")
File photo of the Air India AI171. Photograph: (X)
The investigation branch is also reviewing this preliminary report in detail and is in communication with AAIB India. The UK-based AAIB said that the release of information on the investigation rests solely with the Indian authorities under international protocols.
The India-based Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) on Sunday released a 15-page preliminary investigation report of the London-bound Air India AI171 plane crash moments after take-off from Ahmedabad last month, claiming the lives of 242 passengers. In response, the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) stated that it is in the process of reviewing its Indian counterpart's preliminary report of the tragic accident.
The publication of this preliminary report was welcomed by the UK AAIB. It has uncovered factual information in the summary, UK AAIB said in a statement. The investigation branch is also reviewing this preliminary report in detail and is in communication with AAIB India. In the statement, it has said that the release of information on the investigation rests solely with the Indian authorities under international protocols.
The report indicated that the disaster revealed fuel-control switches of the two engines moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position, within the space of one second, leading to immediate loss of altitude. In the cockpit voice recording, one pilot is heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel. The other denied having done so.
The findings of the investigation disclosed that fuel-control switches of the two engines moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position within the space of one second, resulting in the aircraft losing its altitude, killing 242 passengers.
Key findings in the probe
- The aircraft carried 54,200 kg of fuel, and its take-off weight of 2,13,401 kg fell within the approved limit. It became airborne at 13:08:39 IST. The engine fuel control switches were briefly turned off and then reactivated with a one-second interval.
- At 13:09:05 IST, one of the pilots issued a distress call, saying “Mayday, mayday, mayday.” However, there was no response from air traffic control (ATC), which then observed the aircraft crash.
- The crash debris was recorded using drones and later moved to a secured location close to the airport. Both engines were recovered and quarantined in a hangar. Fuel samples from the aircraft and refuelling vehicles were tested at the DGCA laboratory and found to be satisfactory.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
UK based families demand structured investigation
Families in the UK who lost loved ones in the June 12 crash are calling for a structured way to be represented by experts in the official investigation. Keystone Law, representing over 20 of these families, welcomed the narrowed focus of the probe into the aircraft's fuel control switches. However, the firm pointed out that outdated legal frameworks currently prevent families from participating in the investigation.
According to a report in Business Standard, James Healy-Pratt, Aviation Partner at Keystone, said, "the families now understand there is a more defined area of investigation, but one of their bigger concerns is that they are excluded from this safety investigation."
He argued that a system should be placed allowing expert representation for those families that can feed into the combined safety work that's going on. "And let’s not forget, this aircraft is a global product,” he said, highlighting the involvement of the Indian AAIB, British AAIB, and US authorities. “Families should ideally have a voice in that process.”
