NEW DELHI: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Wednesday voiced strong objections to the preliminary crash report of Air India Flight AI171, which went down near Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff en route to London, resulting in the loss of 240 lives.
In an official statement, the FIP expressed concern over the investigation’s lack of transparency and the public narrative forming around the report. “We are deeply dissatisfied with the exclusion of pilot representatives from the investigation process,” the statement said. “We strongly object to the way the preliminary report has been interpreted and publicly disseminated.”
The federation criticised the report for being incomplete and for relying on “selectively paraphrased cockpit voice recordings,” which, they argued, unfairly suggested pilot error and cast doubt on the flight crew’s professionalism. “This method of presenting findings is neither impartial nor thorough,” FIP stated, warning against premature judgments.
“Assigning blame without a full, transparent, and evidence-based investigation is not only premature—it is reckless,” the statement continued. “Speculative commentary tarnishes the reputation of well-trained professionals and causes unnecessary anguish to their families and colleagues.”
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the 15-page preliminary report a month after the tragedy. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reportedly experienced engine shutdowns, cockpit confusion, and failed recovery attempts shortly after takeoff, ultimately crashing into a medical hostel complex.
The AAIB has clarified that the investigation is still ongoing, with critical aspects such as wreckage examination, post-mortem analysis, and component inspections yet to be completed. No formal safety advisories have been issued so far for the Boeing 787-8 model or its GE GEnx-1B engines.
Air India has confirmed its full cooperation with the probe, while Boeing has stated it will adhere to the investigative process led by the AAIB, in line with ICAO’s Annex 13 aviation protocols.
