Following the preliminary report AI 171 crash, the India Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) has slammed the “reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide” that has been doing the rounds, saying until the official investigation is concluded and the final report is published, any speculation is unacceptable and must be condemned.
ICPA on Sunday said it is deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse-particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.
“There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage, and invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible — it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved,” it said in a statement. ICPA is the narrow-body fleet pilots’ body at Tata Group-owned Air India.
Without sharing the cockpit voice recorder transcript, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in its preliminary report on the crash of Air India’s AI 171 flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12 that killed 260 people, said the fuel switches of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft were cut off soon after takeoff.
“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 some,” the report said.
The association emphasised that pilots undergo extensive psychological and professional screening, recurrent training, and operate under the highest standards of safety, responsibility, and mental fitness. Noting that ICPA trusts and respects the rigorous investigative protocols established by competent authorities, it said these inquiries are designed to uncover facts methodically and without bias. “Until the official investigation is concluded and the final report is published, any speculation, especially of such a grave nature, is unacceptable and must be condemned.
“... The crew of Al 171 acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions. They deserve support, not vilification based on conjecture,” it added.
It may be noted here that the Airline Pilots’ Association of India also had on Saturday demanded a fair and fact-based probe into the Air India plane crash as it claimed that the tone and direction of the investigation into the Air India plane crash suggests a bias towards pilot error.
“The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias towards pilot error... ALPA India categorically rejects this presumption and insists on a fair, fact-based inquiry,” Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) had said in a statement on Saturday. The association has also demanded that its representatives should be observers in the investigation process to ensure transparency and accountability. ALPA India is a member of the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Association (IFALPA).
Noting that the report refers to a serviceability bulletin concerning the fuel control switch gates, which indicates a potential equipment malfunction, the association said, “while the bulletin exists, ALPA India demands clarity on whether the recommendations outlined in the bulletin were implemented prior to the flight.”
Air India has said it will take on board its pilot community by holding dedicated sessions in the coming days to review the preliminary investigation report.