The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has brought in Captain RS Sandhu, a veteran pilot and former Director of Operations at Air India, as a domain expert to assist in the ongoing investigation into the Ahmedabad plane crash that occurred last month. The crash, involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 en route to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad, resulted in the tragic loss of 260 lives. The aircraft crashed into a building shortly after takeoff on June 12, killing 19 people on the ground and leaving only one survivor out of the 242 passengers and crew members onboard.
Captain Sandhu's extensive experience with Air India, spanning nearly four decades, makes him a valuable asset to the investigation. He was also a designated examiner for the Boeing 787-8 fleet and had personally taken delivery of the now-crashed aircraft, VT-ANB, in 2013. Currently, Sandhu is the founder of Aviazione, an aviation consultancy firm, and previously led the team responsible for integrating Tata Group's airlines.
The inclusion of Captain Sandhu in the investigation comes after concerns were raised by various pilot unions regarding the absence of subject matter experts in the probe. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has been vocal in urging the AAIB to include experienced aviators in the investigation process.
The AAIB's investigation team consists of five members and is headed by Sanjay Kumar Singh. The team includes experienced pilots, engineers, aviation medicine specialists, aviation psychologists, and flight recorder specialists who will lend their expertise to the investigation.
The AAIB released its preliminary report on July 12, and the full-scale investigation is ongoing with the support of subject matter experts. According to the preliminary probe report, the fuel switches of both engines were cut off within seconds of takeoff. The cockpit voice recording cited in the report reveals First Officer Clive Kunder asking Captain Sumeet Sabharwal why he cut off the fuel supply, to which the captain responded that he did not.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has expressed its support for the AAIB investigation. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy cautioned against premature speculation regarding the cause of the crash, emphasizing that investigations of this magnitude require time.
