AAIB Report Still Preliminary, No Conclusions Yet: MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol

Pune: Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, stated on Saturday that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report into the recent fatal Air India flight AI 171 crash is still in its preliminary stage, and it is too early to draw any definite conclusions.

Speaking to IANS about the initial findings related to the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash, which occurred shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, Mohol said:
“This is only a preliminary report, and I understand that further investigation is still ongoing. At this stage, we cannot say anything with certainty.”

He acknowledged the progress made by the AAIB, particularly in improving domestic investigation capabilities.
“Previously, when there was a helicopter crash or similar incident, we had to send the black box abroad for analysis. Now, we have the capability to handle such investigations within the country, which is commendable,” he said.

Reiterating caution, Mohol emphasized:
“The work is still in progress. Once the final report is released, it will be appropriate to make any formal comments.”

Last month, Mohol had also confirmed that the investigation into the crash was considering all possible causes, including the possibility of sabotage.
“The probe is exploring every angle. CCTV footage is under review, and several agencies are involved,” he had said, describing the crash as a "rare case."

According to the AAIB’s preliminary findings, both fuel control switches that supply fuel to the engines were turned off in rapid succession, leading to a total engine shutdown. The cockpit voice recorder reportedly captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut off, to which the second pilot replied that he hadn't done it.

Aviation expert Mark Martin commented on the unusual nature of the finding:
“It’s extremely unlikely for any pilot, especially during takeoff, to tamper with switches located behind the thrust levers. At that point, the focus is typically on raising the landing gear or adjusting the flaps, which are located on the front panel.”

Martin also stressed the importance of waiting for the complete investigation before forming conclusions:
“It’s vital that we wait for the full and comprehensive report.”

With inputs from IANS