FIP casts doubt on interim Air India crash report MUMBAI: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on Air India flight 171 crash appears to have deliberately omitted cockpit warning data that would have pointed to an electrical failure preceding the loss of both engines.The pilots’ association said that simulator tests commissioned independently by them have exposed timing errors that further undermine the report’s findings. FIP said it had written to the govt with a request that AAIB should run simulator tests before releasing the final report on the June 12, 2025, accident.At a presser Friday, FIP president Capt C Randhawa said an electrical failure of the kind the federation has long alleged would have triggered a cascade of caution messages, accompanied by audio alerts, all of which would have been recorded on the cockpit voice recorder. He alleged the preliminary report chose not to reproduce that warning sequence.He questioned why flight data recorder installed in the tail of the aircraft was damaged extensively when the tail was largely found intact. He referred to the fact that this particular recorder is solely powered by electricity and implied that the damage indicated a problem with the aircraft’s electric power supply.Randhawa said FIP commissioned 10 tests on a Boeing 787 simulator after AAIB declined repeated requests to conduct its own replication. The tests found the Ram Air Turbine, the emergency power supply in the aircraft takes 18 seconds to deploy and restore hydraulic pressure after engine shutdown, directly contradicting the preliminary report’s timeline that RAT deployed four seconds after fuel control switches moved to cut off fuel supply to the engines.Capt Randhawa invoked the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ event of 2009, when a US Airways flight landed on the Hudson River shortly after take-off. The US investigating agency had initially blamed Capt Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger for choosing to ditch in the river. But after they ran 30-35 simulator tests, they learned that the aircraft could not have made it back to the runway on time and landed safely. It was only then that Capt Sullenberger, who was alive to defend himself, was cleared. “Here we have captains who have died. No one is there to protect them,” said Capt Randhawa. Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosContradicting Supreme Court and Tribunal Orders?: TN Assembly’s Firm Stand Against ProjectRare Handshake At LoC During Pakistani National’s Repatriation Draws Attention Across BorderJaishankar Says Global Appreciation For Indian Talent Is Growing RapidlyCongress Wins 5 Of 7 Karnataka MLC Seats, BJP Probes Suspected Cross-VotingRSS At 100: Why The Organisation Remains Unregistered And Why The Issue Keeps Returning?From Net-Zero Design To Cargo Hub: What Makes Jewar Airport Different?Why Brahmins Are Suddenly At The Centre Of UP’s 2027 Political Battle | SP vs BSP vs BJP ExplainedTMC Escalates Battle To Delhi As Abhishek Banerjee Seeks Action On Rebel MPsJio Files DRHP With SEBI | Mukesh Ambani Hands IPO Leadership To Isha, Akash & AnantFrom ‘Brother-in-Ideals’ To A Cold Greeting: Stalin’s Message Exposes DMK-Congress Rift123PhotostoriesLove Poha for breakfast? 6 ways to add 20 gms protein to each servingNew York’s first lady Rama Duwaji made bootleg Knicks merch look runway-readyFrom earning Rs 700 in his first job to doing plays with Dilip Joshi and Disha Vakani: When Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’s Tanmay Vekaria Aka Bagha got candid about his life5 signs of emotional manipulation in relationships, as per mental health counselor10 regional jackfruit dishes from across the world and why it is celebrated so muchFrom respecting Gauri Khan’s space to teaching his sons to respect women: 5 times Shah Rukh Khan proved he is Bollywood’s ultimate green flag10 baby girl names that mean pure in different languagesFrom Alia Bhatt to Katrina Kaif: Inside the pilates routine that keeps these Bollywood divas fit6 most beautiful hidden villages in India that are absolutely worth a tripWhy were women banned from doing makeup on Bollywood sets? Sonam Kapoor’s makeup artist explains the breaking of the 59-year-old barrier123Hot PicksEngland vs New ZealandYuvraj SinghUSA Vs AustraliaAP SSC resultsKannur University FYUGP TrialShiv SenaJD VanceStrait of HormuzHormoz nuclear power plantTop TrendingBihar gang-rapeUS-Iran Peace DealStock Market LiveFIFA World Cup 2026What is Legacy BadgeBEST bus strikeAIIMS BSc Nursing Admit CardMHT CET PCM 2nd attempt resultsGold rate todayIndia-UK FTA
MUMBAI: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on Air India flight 171 crash appears to have deliberately omitted cockpit warning data that would have pointed to an electrical failure preceding the loss of both engines.The pilots’ association said that simulator tests commissioned independently by them have exposed timing errors that further undermine the report’s findings. FIP said it had written to the govt with a request that AAIB should run simulator tests before releasing the final report on the June 12, 2025, accident.At a presser Friday, FIP president Capt C Randhawa said an electrical failure of the kind the federation has long alleged would have triggered a cascade of caution messages, accompanied by audio alerts, all of which would have been recorded on the cockpit voice recorder. He alleged the preliminary report chose not to reproduce that warning sequence.He questioned why flight data recorder installed in the tail of the aircraft was damaged extensively when the tail was largely found intact. He referred to the fact that this particular recorder is solely powered by electricity and implied that the damage indicated a problem with the aircraft’s electric power supply.Randhawa said FIP commissioned 10 tests on a Boeing 787 simulator after AAIB declined repeated requests to conduct its own replication. The tests found the Ram Air Turbine, the emergency power supply in the aircraft takes 18 seconds to deploy and restore hydraulic pressure after engine shutdown, directly contradicting the preliminary report’s timeline that RAT deployed four seconds after fuel control switches moved to cut off fuel supply to the engines.Capt Randhawa invoked the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ event of 2009, when a US Airways flight landed on the Hudson River shortly after take-off. The US investigating agency had initially blamed Capt Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger for choosing to ditch in the river. But after they ran 30-35 simulator tests, they learned that the aircraft could not have made it back to the runway on time and landed safely. It was only then that Capt Sullenberger, who was alive to defend himself, was cleared. “Here we have captains who have died. No one is there to protect them,” said Capt Randhawa.
