Air India Urges Caution Amid Initial Report on Dreamliner Crash Investigation
Air India has issued a statement urging against premature conclusions following the initial report on the tragic crash of its Boeing Dreamliner, which resulted in the loss of 260 lives on June 12. Airline chief Campbell Wilson emphasized the need for careful consideration in an internal memo made available to Reuters on Monday, stating that while the report released last Friday sheds more light on the incident, it also raises further questions.
The initial investigation report did not specify a cause for the accident or provide recommendations, prompting Wilson to stress that the investigation is ongoing and that hasty conclusions should be avoided. In terms of safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recommended a review of the fuel supply switches involved in the crash. The competent Indian authority, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), has reported that both fuel supply switches on the Boeing 787 were activated almost simultaneously before the crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad into a residential area.
Cockpit voice recorder data revealed an exchange between the pilots where one questioned the other about a possible interruption in the fuel supply. The response indicated that the fuel supply had not been interrupted, yet the switches were found in the 'on' position at the crash site, prompting inquiries into their functioning.
Wilson further noted that the preliminary report indicated no mechanical defects or maintenance errors were identified. However, it referenced a safety recommendation from the FAA in 2018 regarding the verification of the locking function of the fuel supply switches, indicating that they should not be able to be accidentally shifted. Despite the FAA's safety note, Air India had not conducted the inspection, as it was not mandatory; internal documents revealed that both the FAA and Boeing considered the locking feature to be safe, implying that further action regarding the aircraft’s airworthiness was unnecessary.
The AAIB's findings confirmed that all operational instructions and warnings were adhered to, although maintenance records showed that the module controlling throttle valves, including fuel supply, was replaced in both 2019 and 2023 on the aircraft that crashed. In response to the investigation's findings, the airline pilots' association, ALPA, dismissed speculations of pilot error while insisting on a fair, factual investigation with their participation as observers.
On a related note, the German pilots’ association, Vereinigung Cockpit, also advocated against media speculation suggesting possible pilot suicide. They noted that the current findings do not support any strong conclusions regarding intentional actions.
In the wake of these developments, South Korea has announced plans to instruct all airlines operating Boeing models within the country to check the fuel switches as part of an effort to enhance safety measures, aligning with the FAA’s recommendations from 2018. A spokesperson from the South Korean Ministry of Transport reiterated the commitment to ensuring the safety of aircraft operations and compliance with international safety standards.
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