Aviation safety expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan has asserted that the Air India Flight 171 crash, which killed 260 people, was a result of "deliberate human intervention". This statement follows the release of the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the June 12 crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
The AAIB's preliminary report indicates that the fuel control switches, responsible for supplying fuel to the engines, were moved to the "CUTOFF" position from the "RUN" position during a critical phase of the flight. These switches are designed with spring-loaded locking mechanisms to prevent accidental movement and are typically only used on the ground to start or shut down engines. According to Captain Amit Singh, founder of Safety Matters Foundation, the switches are unlikely to be changed accidentally, pointing to possible human error.
Adding weight to the claim of human intervention, Captain Ranganathan, a former Boeing aircraft trainer, emphasized that the fuel switch does not change automatically. It requires physical movement from one slot to another, which he believes indicates a deliberate action. He explained that the fuel cutoff switch is an emergency measure used to salvage situations, such as a major fire.
The preliminary report also revealed a cockpit voice recording in which one pilot is heard questioning the other about why they cut off the fuel supply, to which the other pilot responded that he did not do so. The co-pilot, Clive Kunder, was flying the plane during takeoff, with 1,128 hours of flying experience, while the first officer, Captain Sumit Sabharwal, had 8,260 hours of flying experience.
While the AAIB report clearly indicates fuel starvation as the primary cause of the accident, leading to engine failure, the question remains: how did the fuel starvation occur? The report mentions that attempts to relight the engines were unsuccessful because the aircraft had not reached the necessary height and speed for a safe twin-engine relight after failure. This led to the engines stalling and the aircraft crash landing.
Adding another layer of complexity, Captain Ranganathan claimed that he had been informed by several Air India pilots that one of the flight crew members had a known medical history and had been on extended medical leave before the crash.
However, some experts are urging caution. Capt Randhawa stated that the report is inconclusive and that more information is needed before a verdict can be reached. Randhawa also pointed out that the fuel switch operation follows a "Challenge-Response" system, requiring one pilot to speak and another to respond, and it is never done in isolation or accidentally.
The FAA had previously issued a bulletin warning that the locking feature on the fuel control switches might be disengaged, making them susceptible to unintended movement.
The Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport en route to London Gatwick. Shortly after takeoff, both engines lost thrust, causing the plane to drop altitude rapidly and crash into a medical hostel near the airport. Only one passenger, seated in seat 11A, survived the crash.
