Air India flight 171 crash: Indian pilots' body slams US media report on cockpit voice recording, ‘will take action’

MANISH SAIFI 0

 



On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed just 32 seconds after takeoff, claiming 260 lives—241 onboard (130 passengers, 111 crew) and 19 on the ground. The sole survivor was 40-year-old British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh Hindustan Times+14Al Jazeera+14New York Post+14. The crash site claimed more than just headlines; it revived unresolved debates around pilot error, mechanical failure, media responsibility, and mental health in aviation.

1. Cold Facts: What the Preliminary Report Confirms

  • The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that both engines shut down within a second of each other, mere seconds after liftoff. The engine fuel control switches had moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" Straight Arrow News+11Al Jazeera+11Wikipedia+11.

  • A cockpit voice recording (CVR) captured one pilot saying, “Why did you cut off?” The response, “I did not”, leaves open who moved the switches The Guardian+10Al Jazeera+10The Week+10.

  • The report noted no mechanical faults: no bird-strikes, no fuel contamination, no Boeing/GE defects, and no unusual maintenance issues Hindustan Times+6Wikipedia+6The Sun+6.

  • Each fuel cutoff switch has a guarded, spring‑loaded design, requiring a deliberate pull-up before toggling—a safeguard against accidental engagement .

These findings provide the skeleton. But the flesh—motive, intent, mechanical possibilities—remains elusive. And that vacuum has invited multiple narratives, each with its own implications.

2. US Media’s Claims & The Pilot‑Error Hypothesis

Wall Street Journal & Others

Citing “sources close to US officials,” The Wall Street Journal reported that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the 56-year-old veteran monitoring pilot, “deliberately cut off fuel” in quick succession and remained “eerily calm,” while First Officer Clive Kunder panicked Straight Arrow News+8The Sun+8New York Post+8.

The narrative struck deeply: matinée-villain, cold logic, unfolding tragedy in real time.

International Echoes

This mounting portrayal has catapulted Sabharwal at the center of a possible pilot-error vs. intentional act storyline.

3. Indian Pilots Push Back: Ethics, Procedure & Reputation

Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) Speaks

Captain C.S. Randhawa, FIP President, strongly rebuked these reports:

Concerns Over Investigation Integrity

Beyond technical rebuttal, FIP also criticized:

  1. Selective paraphrasing of cockpit voice audio, which they claim framed one-sided assumptions The Sun+5Hindustan Times+5The Times of India+5mint+3The Independent+3The Times of India+3.

  2. The absence of pilot union representation in the investigative team—seen as compromising transparency and fairness Hindustan Times.

  3. Premature narrative framing ahead of full, evidence-backed conclusions—urging the public and media to await final reports Wikipedia+4People.com+4The Wall Street Journal+4.

4. Technical Speculations: Human Error or TCMA Glitch?

The Human‑Action Argument

  • Aviation analysts argue that the guarded, spring‑loaded switches make accidental activation extremely unlikely mint+3The Sun+3Al Jazeera+3.

  • Ex‑senior NTSB officials notes the switches require deliberate pull and toggle—suggesting likely human interaction The Sun+1The Week+1.

  • The odds against simultaneous dual-engine flameouts without intervention are astronomically low—supporting the idea of intentional or misguided actions The Sun.

The TCMA / System‑Fault Theory

5. Adding Context: The Human Stories

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal

  • With over 15,000 flight hours, including 8,200 on Dreamliners, Sabharwal was seen as methodical and steady YouTube+12The Sun+12People.com+12.

  • He was reportedly months from retirement, grieving his mother’s death and caring for his elderly father—allegedly took leave for mental health issues The Sun.

First Officer Clive Kunder

Sole Survivor & Ground Victims

6. Legal Stakes & International Response

  • US officials, including the FAA and NTSB, are contributing to the probe—raising the possibility of criminal charges, should intent be proven Wikipedia+2The Sun+2The Wall Street Journal+2.

  • Despite Boeing involvement, no safety directives have been issued by Boeing, GE Aerospace, FAA, or Indian authorities—reflecting caution during an ongoing probe The Sun+1The Wall Street Journal+1.

  • The Indian government ordered fleet-wide inspections of fuel safety systems on Boeing 707s and 787s after the crash The Daily Beast+1Indiatimes+1.

  • The AAIB, which has investigated over 90 accidents since 2012, defended its thoroughness—but recognises the preliminary stage brings "public anxiety" The Times of India.

7. Media Responsibility & Public Discourse

Premature Narratives?

  • FIP and Indian authorities argue that speculation based on “partial quotes” from cockpit audio undermines the objectivity of the investigation .

  • Critics contend that media outlets are eagerly stitching a pilot error narrative before conclusive facts emerge .

Mental Health & Pilot Privacy

  • Reporting on Sabharwal’s mental health raises ethical concerns: Was mentioning his depression relevant or stigmatizing?

  • Aviation experts highlight that mental health is vital in aviation safety—but the balance between public interest and privacy rights is delicate.

Transparency vs Sensationalism

  • While transparency is crucial, airing incomplete speculation risks undermining trust in investigators and the airline industry.

  • The involvement of multiple countries (India, US, UK) underscores a tension between open reporting and due investigative process.

8. Open Questions & the Road Ahead

Here’s a snapshot of unanswered questions:

Key QuestionWhy It Matters
Who moved the fuel cutoff switches?Identifies whether human intervention occurred
Was it deliberate or accidental?Determines intent vs. mishap
Could TCMA or hardware glitch be responsible?Affects Boeing and regulatory accountability
Are cockpit audio and CVR data comprehensive?Missing nuance could shift interpretation
Will mental health issues be publicly scrutinized?Raises ethics of posthumous character judgment

9. What Happens Next

  1. Final AAIB report expected in ~6–12 months: will offer definitive findings and safety recommendations The Week+8Al Jazeera+8Reuters+8Indiatimes+4The Sun+4The Daily Beast+4The Wall Street Journal+4Straight Arrow News+4Indiatimes+4The WeekHindustan TimesWikipedia.

  2. US probe to continue: if intent is indicated, may involve criminal investigation.

  3. Regulators may mandate hardware fixes: especially if FAA or AAIB uncovers design faults.

  4. Media & pilot bodies remain at odds: calls for restraint are intensifying from FIP and aviation experts.

10. Suspense & Reflection

The crash of Flight 171 underscores aviation’s fragility and the razor’s edge between routine and disaster. Thirty-two seconds—two quick switch-flips, a panicked query, then silence. A cascade of moments that led to 260 shattered lives, leaving a global community grappling for clarity.

Facts are locked inside the black boxes. Narratives swirl in press rooms, courtrooms, and living rooms. And amid it all, one constant: the urgent need to learn from the tragedy, to prevent future loss—even before the pilots’ gloves hit those guarded switches.

🎯 Final Thoughts

  • The preliminary report is clear: both engines lost fuel flow due to switch movement—human or system-induced The SunThe Sun+2The Daily Beast+2Indiatimes+2The Daily Beast+7Al Jazeera+7Reuters+7.

  • US media suggest pilot action; FIP and Indian authorities push back, citing contradictions, context, and procedure.

  • Open questions remain—but speculation risks steering public opinion, overshadowing critical investigation.

  • When the final report lands, it must deliver a clear picture—not just for closure, but to ensure no tragedy repeats.

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