Pilot associations reject reports blaming captain for AI171 crash, urge media to avoid speculation
text_fieldsPilot associations in India have strongly pushed back against a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report that suggested the senior pilot of Air India flight AI171 may have been responsible for the crash by turning off fuel control switches.
The crash, which took over 260 lives, is still under investigation, and Indian pilot bodies have criticised what they call premature and speculative reporting.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) and the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-I) released statements condemning media narratives that, according to them, jump to conclusions about pilot error. They emphasised that the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s preliminary investigation report does not conclusively assign blame to any crew member.
In its initial findings released on July 11, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) revealed that the fuel control switches had shifted from 'Run' to 'Cutoff'. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the cutoff occurred, to which the other replied that he hadn’t done it. However, the report did not identify which pilot made which statement.
Despite this, the Wall Street Journal on July 17 reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with U.S. officials’ early assessment, that First Officer Clive Kunder questioned Captain Sumeet Sabharwal about moving the switches.
According to the report, the first officer was surprised and panicked, while the captain appeared calm.
The article further stated that U.S. officials are considering whether the incident warrants criminal investigation.
ALPA-I issued a strong response, warning media outlets against "spreading unverified and speculative theories" on sensitive topics such as pilot intent, mental health, or suicide without concrete evidence. “We at ALPA India make a sincere and urgent appeal to all media outlets and journalists to refrain from spreading unverified and speculative theories regarding the tragic crash of AI 171,” their statement read.
FIP President Captain CS Randhawa echoed these concerns, pointing out that neither the Civil Aviation Ministry nor the AAIB report had definitively stated it was a case of pilot error. He also urged the ministry to include pilots, engineers, and air safety experts in the investigation committee.
The WSJ report stated: “A black-box recording of dialogue between the flight’s two pilots indicates it was the captain who turned off switches that controlled fuel flowing to the plane’s two engines, according to people familiar with US officials’ early assessment of evidence uncovered in the crash investigation.”
It added that “details in the preliminary report also suggest it was the captain who turned off the switches, people familiar with the matter, U.S. pilots and safety experts tracking the probe said. The [AAIB] report didn’t say whether turning off the switches might have been accidental or deliberate.”
ALPA-I raised doubts about the credibility of some sources cited in the media. “It is deeply concerning that commentary is being sought from self-proclaimed aviation experts who neither have experience operating the aircraft type involved, nor had any personal or professional association with the crew,” the group stated.
They also highlighted the professionalism of the crew, adding, “The crew of AI 171 made every possible effort - till their very last breath - to protect the passengers on board and minimise harm on the ground. They deserve respect, not unfounded character judgments.”
Captain Randhawa further emphasised the need to investigate a potential issue with the aircraft’s TCMA (Throttle Control Malfunction Accommodation). He criticised Boeing for not issuing directives for checking the TCMA function across similar aircraft.
Prior to the AAIB’s report, both The Air Current and Wall Street Journal had reported that the investigation was focusing on the possibility that the pilots had turned off the fuel control switches.
The AAIB preliminary report also referenced a 2018 FAA advisory that highlighted a design concern: in some Boeing 737 aircraft, the locking mechanism on fuel control switches could be disengaged, allowing the switch to move between positions without lifting it. This design issue is present in other Boeing models such as the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10.
While the FAA did not classify this as an “unsafe condition,” it had issued an advisory for inspections. However, the AAIB found that Air India had not conducted inspections for this issue, as the advisory was non-binding.