The tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in June, which resulted in the deaths of 260 passengers, has now taken on an even more ominous dimension as investigators explore the critical cockpit audio recordings. These recordings reveal an unsettling exchange between the pilots just after takeoff, where one asks why fuel-control switches had been moved to the "cut-off" position, and the other asserts they did not make the change. This critical moment occurred when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was only seconds into its flight, leading to a total loss of engine power—a scenario typically reserved for landing procedures.
The co-pilot was at the controls as the aircraft ascended to 625 feet before it inexplicably lost data just 50 seconds after departure. In reviewing the cockpit voice recordings, experts stress the need for clear voice identification to determine who was responsible for the lever switches being cut off and subsequently re-engaged.
Fuel switches are designed with intricate safety mechanisms to prevent accidental operation, making their activation during such critical flight phases particularly perplexing. Shawn Pruchnicki, an aviation authority, raised serious concerns about the atypical nature of this incident, pondering whether the pilot’s actions were deliberate or due to confusion.
In a detailed investigation involving a combination of Indian authorities and international aviation experts, further attention is drawn to a 2018 advisory from the US Federal Aviation Administration regarding fuel control switches. Although it wasn't deemed an immediate danger requiring significant action, it raises questions about mechanical integrity and system design that could have implications for safety protocols across Boeing aircraft.
Although early reports ruled out mechanical failure, the need for thorough scrutiny of all procedures—from takeoff to crash—is emphasized. The deployment of the Ram Air Turbine serves as a stark indication of a significant systems failure, underscoring the quick succession of adverse events that led to the disaster. Survivability became paramount as the crew navigated the catastrophic failure, desperately attempting to regain control as the situation rapidly spiraled.
Authorities are now pressed to extract maximum information from cockpit recordings alongside advocating for enhanced cockpit video recorders, which could clarify the sequence of actions leading to the tragic accident. As investigations continue, many questions linger about the decisions made in the cockpit that day, ultimately casting a shadow over safety procedures and pilot actions in aviation disaster management.
