Who were the pilots of doomed Air India flight as preliminary report brings scrutiny?
The question spurring fresh intrigue in the Air India crash
- A preliminary investigation into the Air India flight AI171 crash on 12 June revealed that the aircraft's fuel control switches were moved to the "cut-off" position, starving the engines.
- The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad, crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in 260 fatalities, including 241 of the 242 people on board.
- Cockpit voice recordings captured a moment of confusion where one pilot questioned why the fuel had been cut off, which the other pilot denied.
- The two pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Cliver Kunder, had vastly different levels of experience, with Mr Sabharwal nearing retirement and Mr Kunder at the start of his career.
- The Airline Pilots' Association of India has rejected the presumption of pilot error, calling for a "fair, fact-based inquiry," while Air India's CEO cautioned against premature conclusions.