Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday (July 20) said that the government would not draw any conclusions until it receives the final report on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. He appealed to western media not to speculate and praised the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for being able to decode the black box data in India.&nbsp;“AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB. I believe in the work that they are doing. They have done a wonderful job in decoding the whole black box and getting the data out in India itself,” Kinjarapu said. &nbsp;He labeled it a great success, pointing that previously, the black box would have to be shipped overseas for data recovery. “It was a huge success for us because previous incidents, whenever the black box was seen to be damaged, it was always sent abroad to get the data out. But this is the first time that successfully AAIB has decoded everything. The data has been here. The preliminary report has also been seen,” the minister further said. &nbsp;Calling for caution until the investigation is complete, the minister said drawing conclusions at this stage would be inappropriate. “Making any comments until the final report has come, I don't think it is a good exercise on behalf of anyone. We are also very cautious and studying the report thoroughly, and whatever necessary needs to be done in terms of safety, we are ready to do it,” said the civil aviation minister. &nbsp;He again stressed on patience and confirmed the government's assurance towards aviation safety. “Regarding the incident and investigation, we have to wait for the final report before we say anything.” The AAIB is re-examining the circumstances of the Air India crash that occurred in Ahmedabad on June 12. The initial findings are being scrutinised and the final report is likely to provide a better insight into the causes and required safety measures.

Civil aviation minister backs AAIB, slams ‘vested’ western media reports on Air India crash probe

Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday (July 20) said that the government would not draw any conclusions until it receives the final report on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. He appealed to western media not to speculate and praised the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for being able to decode the black box data in India. “AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB. I believe in the work that they are doing. They have done a wonderful job in decoding the whole black box and getting the data out in India itself,” Kinjarapu said. He labeled it a great success, pointing that previously, the black box would have to be shipped overseas for data recovery. “It was a huge success for us because previous incidents, whenever the black box was seen to be damaged, it was always sent abroad to get the data out. But this is the first time that successfully AAIB has decoded everything. The data has been here. The preliminary report has also been seen,” the minister further said. Calling for caution until the investigation is complete, the minister said drawing conclusions at this stage would be inappropriate. “Making any comments until the final report has come, I don't think it is a good exercise on behalf of anyone. We are also very cautious and studying the report thoroughly, and whatever necessary needs to be done in terms of safety, we are ready to do it,” said the civil aviation minister. He again stressed on patience and confirmed the government's assurance towards aviation safety. “Regarding the incident and investigation, we have to wait for the final report before we say anything.” The AAIB is re-examining the circumstances of the Air India crash that occurred in Ahmedabad on June 12. The initial findings are being scrutinised and the final report is likely to provide a better insight into the causes and required safety measures.

The civil aviation minister urged western media to avoid speculation and lauded the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau for successfully decoding the black box data in India

As speculation around the recent Air India crash intensifies in international media, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday urged all to refrain from drawing conclusions based on “selective and unverified reporting.” The statement comes a day after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) released a report citing cockpit voice recordings and preliminary conclusions by US authorities, implying that the captain might have accidentally cut fuel to the engines seconds after takeoff.&nbsp;"Necessary to show respect to family members of the dead passengers, crew, and others who lost their lives on the ground as a result of the plane crash," the AAIB said in its statement. The bureau, which operates under India's Ministry of Civil Aviation, also made it clear that any such updates regarding the investigation will be issued only if required.&nbsp;“AAIB will release updates on the Air India plane crash of technical or public interest value as and when needed,” it further read. Rejecting speculation regarding the reason for the crash, the agency said that it was premature to make conclusions and asked for restraint in public statements.It's early to make any firm judgments about the Air India plane crash; the investigation is still pending." "The final investigation report will be released with root causes and recommendations. Avoid spreading early-day narratives."<h2>What the WSJ report said?</h2>The WSJ reports that a cockpit voice recording indicated that the two pilots had a conversation in which First Officer Clive Kunder asked Captain Sumeet Sabharwal as to why he had shut off the fuel flow to the aircraft's engines after liftoff. Sabharwal, according to reports, said that he hadn't. The newspaper quoted individuals who are known to US officials' initial evaluation of the crash, which happened on June 12 in Ahmedabad and resulted in 241 fatalities, including 19 on the ground.

Refrain from premature narratives AAIB refutes US media report on Air India crash urges to respect sensitivity

As speculation around the recent Air India crash intensifies in international media, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday urged all to refrain from drawing conclusions based on “selective and unverified reporting.” The statement comes a day after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) released a report citing cockpit voice recordings and preliminary conclusions by US authorities, implying that the captain might have accidentally cut fuel to the engines seconds after takeoff. "Necessary to show respect to family members of the dead passengers, crew, and others who lost their lives on the ground as a result of the plane crash," the AAIB said in its statement. The bureau, which operates under India's Ministry of Civil Aviation, also made it clear that any such updates regarding the investigation will be issued only if required. “AAIB will release updates on the Air India plane crash of technical or public interest value as and when needed,” it further read. Rejecting speculation regarding the reason for the crash, the agency said that it was premature to make conclusions and asked for restraint in public statements. It's early to make any firm judgments about the Air India plane crash; the investigation is still pending." "The final investigation report will be released with root causes and recommendations. Avoid spreading early-day narratives." What the WSJ report said? The WSJ reports that a cockpit voice recording indicated that the two pilots had a conversation in which First Officer Clive Kunder asked Captain Sumeet Sabharwal as to why he had shut off the fuel flow to the aircraft's engines after liftoff. Sabharwal, according to reports, said that he hadn't. The newspaper quoted individuals who are known to US officials' initial evaluation of the crash, which happened on June 12 in Ahmedabad and resulted in 241 fatalities, including 19 on the ground.

The statement comes a day after The Wall Street Journal published a report citing cockpit voice recordings and early assessments by US officials, suggesting the captain may have inadvertently cut fuel supply to the engines seconds after takeoff

'Refrain from premature narratives': AAIB refutes US media report on Air India crash, urges to 'respect sensitivity'

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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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.<h3>Key findings in the probe</h3><ul><li>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.</li><li>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.</li><li>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.</li></ul><h3>UK based families demand structured investigation</h3>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.&nbsp;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."&nbsp;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.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The investigation branch is also reviewing this preliminary report in detail and is in communication with AAIB India. 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. 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.”

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.

UK investigative agency reviewing AAIB's Air India AI171 crash report publish— Here's what experts say

aaib-investigation

Aaib Investigation, News on Aaib Investigation, stories on Aaib Investigation, articles on Aaib Investigation, Aaib Investigation stories at Wion, Aaib Investigation news, Aaib Investigation latest news

aaib investigation

Civil aviation minister backs AAIB, slams ‘vested’ western media reports on Air India crash probe

AAIB refutes US media report on Air India crash, warns against early narratives

UK investigative agency reviewing AAIB's Air India AI171 crash report publish