Do not defile the Air India Crash crew based on the assumption

The Indian Pilot Association defended the Air India Flight 171 crew, which crashed in June, killing 260 people.

The Association of Indian Trade Pilots (ICPA) said the crew “acted in accordance with its training and responsibilities under challenging conditions and the pilots should not be forced based on the assumption.”

“It is negligent to assume that pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and beneficial for the dignity of the profession,” she adds.

A preliminary report does not blame the pilots. It says seconds after departure, both of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fuel switching moved to the cutting position, starving on fuel engines.

The report, published on Saturday, gave details of the recording of the voice of the cockpit with one pilot asking the other why he “made the section”, to which the other replied that he did not. The recording does not clarify who said what. The data shows that the switches were then moved to the running position, but the plane crashed within seconds.

Aviation experts and pilots say that fuel switches are designed to prevent accidental activation and they must be downloaded to unlock before they turn. The protective clamps of the fuses further protect them from accidental irregularities.

The preliminary report does not shed any light on the way the switches were moved to interruption, but after its release, sections of the media and social media were buried with unscrupulous speculation about the role of pilots.

“We are deeply concerned about the speculative stories arising in media and public discourse sections – more specific and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide,” said the Indian Pilot Association (ICPA), published late Saturday night.

“Let us be unequivocally clear: at this stage there is absolutely no basis for such a claim and reference to such a serious claim based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible – it is deeply insensitive to people and families.”

The statement added that until the official investigation was completed and the final report was not published, “any speculation – especially of such a heavy character – is unacceptable and must be convicted.”

The preliminary investigation was led by the Indian government with experts from Boeing, General Electric, Air India, Indian regulators and participants from the United States and the United Kingdom. A final report should be out in a year.

On Saturday, the grouping of another pilots – the Association of Airline Pilots in India (Alpa India) – caused concerns the way the investigation is being processed.

He stressed that the report also mentioned that in December 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a special airport information newsletter (SAIB), stressing that some Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with an off lock feature.

Although the question is noted, it is not considered a dangerous condition requiring a directive of airworthiness (AD) – a legally enforceable regulation to correct dangerous conditions in a product.

The same design of the switch is used on the Boeing 787-8 Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India’s VT-Annb, which crashed. Since SAIB was consultative, Air India did not carry out the recommended checks.

Paying attention to the newsletter, the Alpa India said “requires clarity on whether the recommendations outlined in the newsletter have been implemented before the flight.” (Air India does not comment on the specific question.)

US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Boeing’s fuel control switches were safe and noted that his own consultant for 2018 was based on reports that fuel control switches were installed with an off locking feature ” – but he didn’t believe that this makes the planes dangerous.

Alpa India also said it was “surprised by the secret surrounding these investigations” and is said to be “appropriately qualified staff was not taken on board the probe.”

“We believe that the investigation is driven by the guilt of the pilots, and we strongly object to this thought line,” said Alpa India President Captain Sam Thomas in the statement.

The Union also called on the authorities to allow it to join the process “even in the capacity of observers, so as to provide the necessary transparency in investigations.”

After the release of the report on Saturday, India Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Nadi told reporters not to “jump at any conclusions at this stage. Let’s wait for the final report.”

Describing the pilots and crew in India as “the backbone of this civil aviation,” he said India has “the most beautiful workforce in terms of pilots and crew worldwide.”

Flight 171 took off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad to Gatwick in London on June 12 with 242 people on board. The crash killed 241 aboard – one passenger miraculously survived – and 19 people on the ground.

The report says that the Mumbai -based pilots arrived in Ahmedabad the previous day and were adequately rested. They had passed respiratory tests and were cleared to fly, he adds.