Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s Appeal and Reactions

• The Director-General of India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) appealed to the publication of the final investigation report on the Air India flight AI 171 crash.

• The AAIB emphasized its flawless record in investigating 92 accidents and 111 serious incidents since its inception in 2012.

• The AAIB’s investigation and preliminary report aim to provide information about “what” happened, with the final report expected to reveal root causes and recommendations.

Reactions from International Media

• The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer L. Homendy criticized recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash as premature and speculative.

• The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations also cautioned against hasty conclusions based on the preliminary report.

The Report’s Focus

• The report focuses on the movement of engine fuel control switches, pointing investigators towards improper, inadvertent or intentional pilot actions.

• The report has no recommended actions concerning the aircraft type, the engine (GE’s GEnx-1B70/P2), and the manufacturers.

The Mystery of Manual Fuel Selector Switches

• The Boeing 787 is a data-linked, highly networked aircraft with its critical flight systems digitally and physically isolated.

• The fuel selector switches themselves are mechanical-electrical hybrids that cannot be remotely accessed or altered from outside.

Additional Safety Inspections

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed Air India to carry out additional safety inspections on its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 fleet.

• The DGCA has issued a directive to check the locking mechanism of the fuel control switches on the Boeing 737 and 787.

Video Recorders in Aircraft Flight Decks

• International Air Transport Association chief Willie Walsh argued for video recorders to be installed in aircraft flight decks to help accident investigators.