The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) has urged caution regarding the preliminary probe report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, emphasizing that it contains only initial findings and does not offer conclusions about the cause of the crash. The global pilots' body also cautioned against "hasty conclusions" published by the media and social media based on the preliminary probe report.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft, en route to London Gatwick, crashed soon after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 persons onboard. An additional 19 people on the ground also died when the plane crashed into a medical hostel complex. The preliminary report, released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) a month after the incident, revealed that both engine fuel switches moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" position just one second apart during take-off. The report also noted that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot responded that he did not.

IFALPA acknowledged that the report raises "many questions" but "does not provide answers". The association stressed that any "extrapolation of its content" can only be regarded as guesswork, which would not be helpful to the investigation. IFALPA also noted that the report clearly states that no safety recommendations are being provided at this stage.

Several pilot bodies have raised concern over imputations being made in the media and social media regarding the role of the pilots. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA-India), which represents Indian pilots at IFALPA, has called for a "fair, fact-based inquiry". ALPA-India has also stated that the pilots' body must be made part of the probe, at least as observers.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that both pilots passed the mandatory pre-flight breathalyser tests, and there were no observations about their medical status. He cautioned against "premature conclusions" amid growing scrutiny over the preliminary investigation and added that the airline continues to cooperate fully with authorities.

The preliminary report has brought scrutiny to the pilots after it revealed moments of confusion in the cockpit. The report indicated that moments after takeoff, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner began to lose thrust. The final words of one of the pilots, most likely Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, were a distressed transmission, saying: “Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”. Captain Sabharwal had a total flying experience of 15,638 hours, with 8,596 hours on a Boeing 787.

IFALPA is committed to supporting the efforts of the AAIB and believes that the families of the victims deserve "our collective professionalism" as the investigation is conducted.