New Delhi : The preliminary report on the Air India plane crash has a “biased” tone toward pilot error, and there is a lack of transparency in it, said the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA). The organisation said it rejects the presumption made in the report and seeks a fair, fact-based inquiry. The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry, the ALPA said.
The preliminary report of the Air India crash came exactly one month after the fatal accident on June 12. The report pointed toward an error in the fuel control switch that led to fuel supply cut-off in both engines. One of the pilots was heard asking the other why he did so, to which the second pilot replied that he did not. The pilots, realising that the fuel supply was cut off, tried to revive the engines, and only one of the two could be recovered.
On Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's Preliminary Report on 12th June AI 171 crash, Airline Pilots' Association of India says, "The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair,… pic.twitter.com/sYh5TW9HwC
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2025
The fuel control switch locking feature is a safety mechanism that is used in certain aircraft to prevent the inadvertent shutdown or misoperation of the engine’s fuel control switch. If used mistakenly, it can lead to a sudden fuel supply cut off to the engines. To move the switch, a pilot is required to lift the switch up while transitioning the switch position.
The association has appealed to the authorities to allow pilot representatives to participate in the investigation process, even in the capacity of observers, to ensure transparency. “We once again request the powers that be to include us even in the capacity of observers, to provide the requisite transparency in the investigations,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stressed that the report was only preliminary and urged the public and media not to jump to conclusions. “Let’s not jump to any conclusions. Once the final report is out, only then can we arrive at a concrete conclusion,” he said, adding that he had “complete faith” in India’s pilots and crew.