Ahmedabad: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has issued his first response following the release of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad. In a letter to employees on Monday, Wilson emphasized that the initial findings revealed no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or its engines.
Responding to growing speculation surrounding the June 12 crash, Wilson urged caution and discouraged premature conclusions. “Instead of focusing on such interpretations, I suggest we note that the Preliminary Report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed. There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll,” he stated.
The AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report also confirmed that both pilots had passed pre-flight breath analyzer tests, and there were no medical concerns flagged in the investigation. Wilson reiterated that “every Boeing 787 aircraft operating in Air India’s fleet was checked within days of the 12 June crash and found fit for service. We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest.”
The crash of flight AI 171 raised widespread concern and prompted multiple theories regarding its cause. However, the AAIB report, while noting that fuel switches were turned off within a second of takeoff, leading to cockpit confusion, did not explain how or why this occurred.
“The release of the Preliminary Report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place,” Wilson said. He added that the report offered no cause nor made any recommendations, and urged staff and the public to wait for the final report before drawing conclusions.
“Until a final report or cause is tabled, there will no doubt be new rounds of speculation and more sensational headlines. We must nevertheless remain focused on our task and be true to the values that have powered Air India’s transformation journey over the past three years – integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation and teamwork,” Wilson concluded.
The AAIB has appointed a five-member investigation team, which continues to examine the incident in depth. The final report is expected to provide clarity on the sequence of events that led to the tragic crash.