Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has urged caution against drawing conclusions from the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, stating that only the final report can provide a complete picture of the incident.
Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday, MoS Mohol said, “The AAIB has brought out a preliminary report. This is not the final report. Until the final report comes out, we should not arrive at any conclusion. AAIB is an autonomous authority, and the ministry does not interfere in their work.”
The preliminary report, released on Friday, pertains to the June 12 crash of the Air India Boeing 787-8 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, which resulted in 260 fatalities, including passengers, crew, and civilians on the ground.
The report outlined that both engines unexpectedly shut down within seconds of takeoff, after the fuel cutoff switches were inadvertently moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within a 1-second gap. Cockpit recordings revealed a conversation between the pilots where one asked, “Why did you cut off?” and the other responded, “I did not.”
As the engines lost power, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically, and the aircraft began to descend rapidly. The crew attempted to restart the engines, and while Engine 1 showed partial recovery, Engine 2 failed to stabilize. A final “MAYDAY” call was issued seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential structures near the airport, including the BJ Medical College hostel, causing widespread damage and fires.
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy also weighed in, stating that the full truth will emerge only after deeper investigation. “The aircraft was airworthy and took off normally. Engine flameout and fuel switch anomalies will be probed further,” he said.
The AAIB is expected to continue its investigation by examining flight data, maintenance records, and system components before releasing a conclusive report.
