<p class="bodytext">The preliminary report of the investigation into the crash of Air India flight AI 171 at Ahmedabad is out. It points to the most probable primary cause of the June 12 accident, but throws no light on what led to the cause. The report was released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which undertook the investigation. It says that the fuel supply to the engines stopped with the transitioning of the fuel control switches from ‘Run’ to ‘Cut-off’ position within a second of each other, moments after lift-off. But there is no word on how this happened and that has given rise to various views. Since it is believed that the switches cannot move from one mode to the other accidentally, questions have been raised about the possibility of a human error. The report notes, on the basis of the cockpit voice recorder data, that one of the pilots asked the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot replied that he did not. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The report has unfortunately created a controversy and given rise to rumours and speculations. It is premature to arrive at any conclusions on the basis of the report. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu and a number of experts have warned against jumping to any conclusions. The investigation about how the fuel control switches went to the cut-off mode is yet to take place. In fact, criticism is rife that the preliminary report does not contain all the information that it possibly had access to, and is giving incorrect and contradictory information. A full audio and transcript of the cockpit voice recorder may give more information on the pilots’ conversation and actions, but the report does not contain it. </p>.<p class="bodytext">There may be various interests and pressures at work trying to influence the investigation, but it is important that it identifies the correct cause and circumstances that led to the crash. That is in the interest of the aviation sector and the credibility of the system, and essential for keeping the trust and confidence of the travelling public. The government has been criticised for casually releasing the report instead of seriously communicating and explaining its contents to the nation. It is also considered strange that the report was released in the early dawn hours on Saturday. The final investigation may take months to be completed, but the effort should be to complete it as early as possible. It will hopefully clear the air about what led the aircraft to crash and put an end to all rumours and blame games.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The preliminary report of the investigation into the crash of Air India flight AI 171 at Ahmedabad is out. It points to the most probable primary cause of the June 12 accident, but throws no light on what led to the cause. The report was released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which undertook the investigation. It says that the fuel supply to the engines stopped with the transitioning of the fuel control switches from ‘Run’ to ‘Cut-off’ position within a second of each other, moments after lift-off. But there is no word on how this happened and that has given rise to various views. Since it is believed that the switches cannot move from one mode to the other accidentally, questions have been raised about the possibility of a human error. The report notes, on the basis of the cockpit voice recorder data, that one of the pilots asked the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot replied that he did not. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The report has unfortunately created a controversy and given rise to rumours and speculations. It is premature to arrive at any conclusions on the basis of the report. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu and a number of experts have warned against jumping to any conclusions. The investigation about how the fuel control switches went to the cut-off mode is yet to take place. In fact, criticism is rife that the preliminary report does not contain all the information that it possibly had access to, and is giving incorrect and contradictory information. A full audio and transcript of the cockpit voice recorder may give more information on the pilots’ conversation and actions, but the report does not contain it. </p>.<p class="bodytext">There may be various interests and pressures at work trying to influence the investigation, but it is important that it identifies the correct cause and circumstances that led to the crash. That is in the interest of the aviation sector and the credibility of the system, and essential for keeping the trust and confidence of the travelling public. The government has been criticised for casually releasing the report instead of seriously communicating and explaining its contents to the nation. It is also considered strange that the report was released in the early dawn hours on Saturday. The final investigation may take months to be completed, but the effort should be to complete it as early as possible. It will hopefully clear the air about what led the aircraft to crash and put an end to all rumours and blame games.</p>
