Air India Crash: Global Pilots’ Body Warns Against Guesswork, Says ‘Initial Report Not A Conclusion’
In a statement, IFALPA urged all parties to refrain from speculations and avoid drawing conclusions based on the AAIB’s preliminary report.
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) on Tuesday urged caution and warned against speculations over the preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last month.
Reacting to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) initial report on the crash, IFALPA said that its review of the report highlights that it only presents facts gathered so far and does not contain any conclusions.
“As a reminder, a preliminary report is merely the means of communication used for the prompt dissemination of data obtained during the early stages of the investigation and only contains factual information and an indication of the progress of the investigation,” the international body said in a statement.
Canada-based IFALPA emphasised that such reports are meant to share initial data and any guesswork won’t be helpful for further investigation. “Whilst this preliminary report by its very nature raises many questions, it does not provide answers, and any extrapolation of its content can only be regarded as guesswork, which is not helpful to the good conduct of the investigation,” the IFALPA noted.
In its statement, the global pilots’ body urged all parties to refrain from speculations and avoid drawing conclusions based on the AAIB’s preliminary report. “IFALPA urges all parties to refrain from speculation, allow the investigation to run its full and proper course, and avoid drawing conclusions from preliminary information.”
“The victims, including the families of the crew and passengers of Air India 171, deserve our collective professionalism while the full investigation is conducted,” the statement added.
AAIB’s Report On Air India Crash
IFALPA’s statement comes amid growing speculation around what led to one of the deadliest plane crashes in Indian aviation history on June 12 that killed 260 people. Following the release of AAIB’s report on Friday, a section of the media began speculating “pilot suicide” as a possible cause.
This theory gained attention due to the cockpit voice recording shared in the report. It was revealed that seconds after takeoff, the Boeing Dreamliner’s both engines lost fuel supply. One pilot asked, “Why did you cut it off?” The other replied, “I didn’t.” Notably, a ‘Mayday’ emergency call was made shortly after this brief exchange, following which the plane crashed into the hostel building of B. J. Medical College.
Air India Reacts To AAIB Report
On the development, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson also urged against speculation, but noted that the preliminary report found no mechanical faults, maintenance lapses, or fuel issues with the aircraft.
Soon after the report was made public, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu also urged people to have patience. He noted that the report is only preliminary and conclusions should wait.
“I believe we have the most wonderful workforce of pilots and crew in the whole world. I have to appreciate all the efforts the pilots and crew of the country are putting; they are the backbone of civil aviation. They are the primary resource of civil aviation. We care for the welfare and well-being of the pilots, also. So let us not jump into any conclusions at this stage and wait for the final report," the minister told reporters.
