Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson on Monday said that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report on AI-171 plane crash in Ahmedabad has not found “mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines” and urged people not to draw any “premature conclusions” before the investigation is completed.
In an internal communication, Wilson said the report confirmed that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed and there were no faults with the quality of fuel used. He added that no abnormalities were found in the aircraft’s take-off roll.
According to the letter, the pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser tests and there were no concerns regarding their medical status.
“The report has identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,” Wilson said. He assured that Air India would continue to fully cooperate with investigators to ensure a thorough and comprehensive inquiry.
He added that until the final report is released, speculation and sensational headlines are likely to continue, but urged staff to remain focused on their work. “We must stay true to the values that have guided Air India’s transformation over the past three years — integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation and teamwork,” he said.
Wilson reiterated that the airline’s priorities remain standing by the bereaved families and the injured, working together as a team, and ensuring a safe and reliable air travel experience for customers.
The AAIB’s Preliminary Report released on Friday said that both the engines of the aircraft were moved from “run” to “cutoff,” in quick succession, which resulted in the fuel supply to be cut off. The report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he did the cutoff, which the other pilot denied ever doing so.
“The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off,” the preliminary report said.
The crash of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, Gujarat claimed the lives of 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.
(Input from agencies)