Ahmedabad/Washington: The probe into the crash of Air India’s London-bound flight in Ahmedabad last month is focusing on pilot error, faulty operation of the engine fuel control switches and not on issues in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, reported Andrew Tangel, Shan Li and Krishna Pokharel in The Wall Street Journal.
“Indian officials have released little information to the public about the investigation, fuelling some frustration with American government and industry officials since the June 12 crash,” reads the report, citing sources familiar with the probe. However, the Indian government is yet to make the probe report public. Several media groups, including India Today, reported that the final report—with focus on cause of the incident—may be released today (July 11) or on Saturday.
The jet, bound for London, tragically resulted in over 260 fatalities, including those on board and on the ground, with just one survivor.
What the Wall Street Journal report points out?
Fuel control switches possibly moved to “cutoff”: Investigators believe the fuel control switches for both engines may have been turned off manually, cutting fuel supply and leading to total engine failure.
No signs of technical or mechanical fault: Investigators have reportedly found no evidence of mechanical failure in the engines or aircraft systems.
Cause remains uncertain: It is not yet clear whether the switches were moved inadvertently, intentionally, or as part of a misinterpreted corrective action by the pilots.
A senior Indian civil aviation official told the Wall Street Journal, “Nothing can be said about the cause of the crash right now because the investigation is going on… It’s a very rare incident—it has never happened that both the engines stopped together.” US investigators initially threatened to pull out of the probe due to delays in access to flight data and voice recorders but later chose to remain involved in the investigation, the report claimed.
The investigation has triggered a global conversation about pilot training protocols and whether cockpit designs need revisions to prevent such inadvertent actions.
Investigators are analysing cockpit voice recordings and crew background records to understand pilot actions and decision-making in the final moments. Findings could influence future design changes or procedural reviews by Boeing, airlines, and aviation regulators worldwide.
Fuel control switches may be moved during engine failure: Experts
According to a report in the aviation news portal aircurrent, fuel control switches have two positions: Run and Cutoff. These are only moved on the ground during engine start and shutdown at the end of a normal flight. However, the report and aviation experts claim that these switches can also be moved if the engine needs to be manually shut or restarted by the crew in the event of an engine failure in any phase of the flight. This raises a possibility that the pilots had no option than to move these switches as the aircraft might have suffered engine failure.
What can we conclude?
There is no clear information yet on whether the switches were actually moved, and the investigation’s focus could be on other aspects as well. It is too early to jump to any conclusion, experts opined.
