In Aviation Safety’s initial report on the fatal crash of an Air India jet last month in Mangaluru, India, we learned key facts about that tragic incident. The crash occurred soon after the plane departed Ahmedabad airport. The London-bound plane had crashed and was headed back down. This appalling disaster killed 260 people, including a majority of Indian nationals while harming and killing many more foreign citizens.
The flight AI171 had just departed from Thiruvananthapuram, when disaster struck. Immediately, the left and right engine fuel cutoff switches went from RUN to CUTOFF within a one second interval. This maneuver was made at an airspeed of 180 knots. This frightening chain of events begs the question—what was going on in the cockpit just seconds prior to the aircraft’s final descent?
The flight’s captain, a once-impeccably experienced 56-year-old man with over 15,000 flying hours to his authority, assumed control. He was accompanied by a highly experienced 32-year-old first officer, who had already accumulated more than 3,400 hours of flight time. Eyewitnesses reported that the plane was setting its flaps to 5 degrees, setting up for takeoff. The landing gear lever remained down.
The Investigators have focused their examination on the helicopter’s mechanics as part of their ongoing investigation. March 26 Installation of the left engine. The right engine was put on only weeks before the fateful flight, May 1. Once on the ground, the team verified that the operational take-off weight of the aircraft was well below permissible limits. They checked that there were no hazardous materials on board.
The investigation team was able to miraculously retrieve information from those black boxes. In total, they downloaded 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio. In a revealing snippet from the cockpit voice recording, one pilot is heard questioning the other about the fuel cutoff. The answer claimed that the primary officer first refused to perform such an act.
“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” – Report
A few seconds later, as both engines were trying to relight, one of the pilots in a very panicked tone said “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY.” This mayday highlighted how serious things had become, in real time.
Air India offered heartfelt condolences to all affected by this tragedy.
“Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident,” – Air India
The airline added, “We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time.”
A crucial part of this inquiry focuses on the safety features of the aircraft. David Soucie, an aviation safety consultant, said extensive safety changes have been made over the years to stop accidental activation of key controls.
“Throughout the years, those have been improved to make sure that they cannot be accidentally moved and that they’re not automatic. They don’t move themselves in any manner,” – David Soucie
The safety measure the report shed light on has become a notable bright spot in aviation. When the pilots move the fuel control from CUTOFF to RUN, full authority dual engine control automatically starts a relight and thrust recovery sequence per engine including ignition energization and fuel introduction.
As investigations proceed, we hope that both law enforcement and civil authorities dig deeper into every dimension of this horrific crash. The loss of 260 lives has changed international aviation safety standards forever. Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
