• Source:JND
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Air India plane crash report: The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) called on all stakeholders to refrain from speculating about the cause of the tragic Air India Boeing 787-8 crash, following India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) releasing its preliminary report into the tragedy which claimed 260 lives. Air India AI 171 flight, which was from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed on June 12 after its engine fuel switches were switched off seconds after take-off. The plane crashed into a building a few seconds later, killing 260 crew and passengers on board.

The 15-page initial report, published on Saturday, quoted cockpit voice recordings wherein one of the pilots asked why the fuel switch was switched off. The other pilot is said to have answered that he did not do it, which raised new questions regarding potential cockpit confusion or technical failure. Although the preliminary findings have raised speculation regarding potential pilot error, IFALPA has warned firmly against speculation.

"No Safety Recommendations Yet": IFALPA

“Whilst this preliminary report by its very nature raises many questions, it does not provide answers, and any extrapolation can only be regarded as guesswork, which is not helpful to the good conduct of the investigation,” IFALPA stated in its July 14 statement. The federation, with close to 100,000 pilots from 100 nations, emphasised that the preliminary report is meant only to transmit early factual information and should not be interpreted as a conclusive judgment on the cause of the accident.

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The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA), an affiliate of IFALPA, raised objection over what it said was the report's “tone and direction”, accusing it of being inclined towards pilot mistake. ALPA has demanded a fair and fact-based investigation without any presumption. Two major pilot unions of Air India, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), representing narrow-body pilots, and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), representing wide-body pilots, have also called for waiting for the final investigation report. IFALPA underlined that the relatives of the 260 killed, comprising crew members, are entitled to the joint professionalism and respect of the aviation world as investigators try to ascertain the true causes and contributing factors of the disaster.

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“The report clearly states that no safety recommendations are being provided at this stage. Everyone should refrain from speculation and allow the investigation to run its full and proper course,” IFALPA further said. The AAIB will publish additional reports as the investigation continues, with conclusions and safety recommendations only after a thorough technical and procedural examination.

With inputs from agencies.