Now Reading: Air India crash: What AAIB report confirms, what it rules out, what still remains unanswered | India News
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Air India crash: What AAIB report confirms, what it rules out, what still remains unanswered | India News
Air India crash: What AAIB report confirms, what it rules out, what still remains unanswered | India News
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In its first official account of the June 12 crash that killed 260 folks in Ahmedabad, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a 15-page preliminary report into Air India Flight 171. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plunged right into a medical faculty hostel moments after takeoff, turning into one among India’s worst aviation tragedies in many years and the primary deadly crash of a Dreamliner globally.The report stops wanting assigning blame however outlines a chilling sequence of occasions: each engine gasoline management switches have been inexplicably moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” inside a second of one another, ravenous the plane’s engines of gasoline. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the opposite why he had shut off the gasoline. The different denied doing so.
Despite relighting each engines, just one recovered absolutely earlier than the aircraft crashed simply 32 seconds after turning into airborne. The switches have been later discovered again within the “RUN” place. While mechanical failure, hen strike and gasoline contamination have been dominated out, the thriller of how the switches have been moved persists, prompting requires additional forensic evaluation and voice identification.
What the report solutions
What triggered the twin engine flame-out?Roughly seven seconds after lift-off, each gasoline switches have been lower to CUTOFF in lower than one second, depriving the engines of gasoline and resulting in a thrust loss. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) swung into motion to provide emergency energy—which was captured on CCTV footage shortly thereafter.Did the pilots try an engine restart?Yes. The Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) reveals that round 10 seconds after the cutoff, each switches have been returned to RUN, and one engine started recovering. However, the altitude was inadequate for a full restoration of thrust earlier than crashing.Was gasoline contamination an element?No. DGCA lab assessments on samples from the refuelling bowsers and tanks discovered the gasoline to be passable.What did cockpit audio reveal?The CVR captured a pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the response, “I did not do so,” however identities weren’t assigned to both speaker.Was the plane airworthy?Yes. All obligatory checks had been accomplished. However, an advisory issued by the FAA in 2018 regarding gasoline swap locking mechanisms was not acted upon, as it was labeled as non-mandatory. The VT-ANB underwent throttle management module replacements in 2019 and 2023, with no reported gasoline swap defects since, TOI reported..Were flight crew and procedures adopted?Both pilots handed pre-flight breathalyser assessments and have been seen on CCTV pre-departure. The captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, had over 15,000 flying hours (8,600 on the 787), whereas First Officer Clive Kunder had 3,400 hours. Sabharwal was monitoring, Kunder was flying.
What still remains unsure
Could the engine digital management unit (ECU) be at fault?TOI stories that veteran commanders referenced a 2021 joint FAA–GE Service Bulletin recommending alternative of the “MN4 microprocessor” on the engine’s ECU—citing solder-ball fatigue on account of thermal biking which may result in electrical faults. A failure right here might plausibly set off unintended swap activation.Why wasn’t the touchdown gear retracted?The report notes the gear was still down. One concept is that the crew was preoccupied with engine failure procedures and had no alternative to retract the gear. Audit transcripts make no point out of the “positive climb” or “gear up” name being made.Why is there no cockpit video?Experts like Peter Goelz of the NTSB have lamented the shortage of visible cockpit recording, which might definitively determine who moved the switches, BBC reported.Could it have been {an electrical} glitch?Former AAIB investigator Capt Kishore Chinta, whereas talking with BBC raised the query of whether or not the ECU or different programs might have electronically tripped the gasoline switches—including to suspicions of a microprocessor fault.Was the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) operational?Capt Amit Singh, informed TOI that the ELT did not emit a misery sign—regardless of impacts of three.2 to three.5 g ordinarily triggering it. He additionally questioned discrepancies within the RAT deployment timeline and the shortage of cockpit dialog timestamps.Who is on the investigative panel?TOI had additionally reported that Capt Sam Thomas of the Airline Pilots’ Association of India raised doubts in regards to the experience composition of the AAIB workforce. The AAIB has since confirmed the inclusion of subject-matter consultants: pilots, engineers, aviation medication specialists and flight-recording consultants supporting the core investigation workforce.When is the ultimate report anticipated?According to AAIB, the great report is due by 12 June 2026. Until then, no definitive trigger has been declared, nor have security directives been issued for 787-8 operators or GE’s GEnx-1B engines.
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