Context:

The preliminary report on the Air India Flight 171 crash, which killed 260 people, deepened controversy by revealing that both fuel-control switches were inexplicably moved to 'cut-off' shortly after take-off, causing total power loss. The cockpit voice recording captured a brief, ambiguous exchange between the pilots about the cut-off, but did not clarify who was responsible. Despite the absence of a full transcript, media speculation has focused on the senior pilot, leading to a backlash from investigators and pilot associations who caution against premature conclusions. Investigators emphasize the need to explore all possibilities, including manual error and potential automation issues, and criticize selective media reporting. The final report, expected in a year, aims to provide a comprehensive analysis with time-stamped dialogue and engine data to determine the root causes of the crash.

Dive Deeper:

• The Air India Flight 171 crash report revealed a critical incident where both fuel-control switches moved to 'cut-off' soon after take-off, leading to engine shutdown and subsequent crash in Ahmedabad, raising questions about pilot actions and system failures.

• A cockpit voice recording captured a conversation between the pilots questioning the cut-off, but it remained unclear who operated the switches, fueling media speculation and controversy over pilot responsibility.

• The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other aviation bodies have criticized the media for drawing premature conclusions, urging a thorough investigation into maintenance records and automation systems before assigning blame.

• Aviation experts highlight the importance of considering both manual and automation-related issues, noting the potential for system glitches or false signals causing automatic shutdowns, although evidence so far suggests a manual operation of switches.

• The investigation faces challenges due to the selective release of cockpit voice recordings, prompting calls for transparency and a complete transcript to aid in understanding the sequence of events leading to the crash.

• There is an ongoing debate about whether the fuel cut-off was an intentional act, pilot error, or a possible system malfunction, with the final report expected to provide detailed findings and recommendations for future safety measures.

• The AAIB emphasizes that the current report is not conclusive and that drawing definitive conclusions at this stage would be premature, as the investigation continues to gather and analyze data to determine the true cause of the crash.