Air India Crash: Shocking 5 Revelations Fuel Pilot Outrage Over “Premature Blame” in Explosive Boeing Probe

The Indian pilots’ union (FIP) has strongly condemned a Wall Street Journal report suggesting Captain Sumeet Sabharwal deliberately cut fuel switches before the fatal Air India crash. FIP President Captain C.S. Randhawa emphasized India’s official preliminary investigation explicitly avoided blaming the pilots, only noting a confused cockpit exchange about the switches’ movement. He vehemently rejected the WSJ’s unsourced claim as irresponsible speculation, stressing the highly experienced crew’s credentials.

Randhawa instead pointed to a critical unresolved safety concern: a potential repeat of a documented Boeing 787 throttle system malfunction (TCMA) that caused unintended engine shutdowns in a 2019 ANA incident, which Boeing hasn’t fully addressed. He further criticized the investigation panel’s lack of pilot or safety expert representation, urging its reconstitution for true technical rigor. The FIP demands the public and media await the full inquiry, arguing that focusing on premature blame distracts from uncovering potential systemic flaws essential for future flight safety.

This clash highlights the tension between media leaks and the painstaking, evidence-based process required to understand complex aviation tragedies.

Air India Crash: Shocking 5 Revelations Fuel Pilot Outrage Over “Premature Blame” in Explosive Boeing Probe

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has launched a fierce defense of its members and condemned a recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, intensifying scrutiny around the investigation into the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad. The dispute centers on whether pilot actions or a potential aircraft malfunction caused the fuel supply to both engines to be cut off shortly after takeoff. 

The Controversial Claim: The WSJ report, citing unnamed sources familiar with a U.S. assessment of evidence, alleged that cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data indicates Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (56), the highly experienced pilot-in-command, physically moved the fuel control switches to the “cut off” position. This directly contradicts the preliminary findings released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) last week, which reported a chilling cockpit exchange but explicitly avoided assigning blame: 

“Why did you cut off fuel?” one pilot asked. “I did not do so,” the other replied. 

FIP’s Forceful Rebuttal: FIP President, Captain C.S. Randhawa, vehemently rejected the WSJ’s narrative: 

• Defending the Report & Pilots: “Nowhere in the [AAIB] report has it been mentioned that the fuel control switch was turned off due to the pilot’s mistake… They have not read the report properly,” Randhawa stated, calling the WSJ report “condemnable.” He emphasized the AAIB’s neutrality. 

• Pointing to Potential Systemic Failure: Randhawa drew a critical parallel to a January 17, 2019, incident involving an All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787 (NH985). In that case, both engines shut down without pilot movement of the fuel switches when thrust reversers were selected during landing. He asserted, “I am quite clear that this is a repetition of the TCMA (Throttle Control Malfunction Accommodation) malfunction… Boeing has not taken any action yet.” He demanded a “thorough investigation” into this specific system. 

• Questioning the Investigation Process: Randhawa raised a significant procedural concern: the absence of any pilot on the AAIB investigation committee. He urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to reconstitute the panel to include pilots, engineers, and air safety experts for a more comprehensive technical analysis. 

• Pilot Expertise: Highlighting the pilots’ credentials – Captain Sabharwal had over 15,600 total flight hours (8,500+ on the 787), and First Officer Clive Kunder (32) had over 3,400 hours (1,100+ on the 787) – Randhawa stressed, “Indian pilots are among the best in the world.” 

The Core Issues Demanding Answers: This clash underscores profound questions that go beyond assigning blame: 

• The Switch Movement: How and why were both fuel control switches moved from “RUN” to “CUT OFF”? Was it deliberate pilot action, inadvertent contact, or triggered by a malfunction (like the suspected TCMA issue)? 

• System Scrutiny: Is there a latent, unaddressed flaw in Boeing 787 systems, potentially related to throttle commands or automation interfaces, as suggested by the ANA precedent? 

• Investigation Transparency & Composition: Is the current investigation structure, lacking pilot input, adequately equipped to diagnose complex technical failures? How can findings be communicated clearly to prevent speculative leaks? 

• Media Responsibility: How should sensitive, unverified information from unnamed sources be handled during active, high-stakes investigations without prejudicing outcomes or causing undue distress? 

A Call for Patience and Rigor: Randhawa implored the public and media: “Do not comment on the report and wait for a detailed investigation.” His plea echoes the fundamental principle of air crash investigation – prioritize uncovering the systemic chain of events to prevent future tragedies over rushing to assign individual culpability. 

The path to understanding the Ahmedabad tragedy lies not in media finger-pointing based on partial leaks, but in a meticulous, technically robust, and transparent investigation that fully explores all possibilities – including potential aircraft system vulnerabilities – with the necessary expertise at the table. The integrity of the process and the safety of future flights depend on it.