Previous Crew Reported Defects, Warnings Ignored: Key Findings On Deadly Air India Plane Crash

A preliminary report revealed the engines shut off seconds after takeoff, with pilots denying involvement.

An Air India flight AI171 crashed in Ahmedabad last month, killing 260.

Source : PTI

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its 15-page preliminary report on the deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last month that killed 260 people, including 241 aboard. 

The report said that the engine fuel control switches were cut off seconds after takeoff, with one pilot asking the other why he had cut off. The latter responded that he did not, as per the report. 

The Air India flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport at 1:38 pm on June 12 for London Gatwick. However, nearly 30 seconds after takeoff, the flight crashed into a medical hostel complex. 

Air India Plane Crash: Key Findings 

1. Engines Shut Off: According to the report, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft "achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec." 
2. Pilots Didn't Cut Off Engines: The report mentions details from the cockpit voice recorder where "one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.”
3. RAT Deployed: The investigators said that the CCTV footage obtained from the airport showed Ram Air Turbine (RAT) getting deployed during the initial climb immediately after lift-off.”
4. Previous Warning Ignored: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had in 2018 warned about fuel switch control design. The FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) No. NM-18-33 on December 17, 2018, regarding the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature," as per the report. 
5. Suggested Inspections Not Performed: The report further stated that Air India did not carry out the suggested inspections as the Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) was "advisory", not "mandatory". 
6. Previous Crew Reported Defect: Before the London flight, the Boeing 787-8 flight AI423 operated from Delhi to Ahmedabad. The crew of the previous flight made a Pilot Defect Report (PDR) entry for status message “STAB POS XDCR” in the Tech Log. Air India carried out troubleshooting as per FIM, and the aircraft was released for flight at 0640 UTC." 
7. Fuel Tested: Samples of the fuel were taken from the browsers and tanks used to refuel the aircraft were tested at the DGCA’s Lab and found satisfactory," the report stated.