New details emerge as last exchange between Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder sheds light on tragic incident.
Cockpit Recording Suggests Critical Error
A cockpit voice recording accessed by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reveals that the Captain may have cut off fuel supply to the engines moments after takeoff, leading to the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner last month in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Flight duration before crash: Just 32 seconds
- Fatalities: 260 total
- 241 onboard (including both pilots)
- 19 on the ground
- Survivors: Only one passenger
Pilots Identified
- Captain: Sumeet Sabharwal (15,638 flight hours)
- First Officer: Clive Kunder (3,403 flight hours)
The WSJ report cites that the First Officer questioned the Captain’s decision to move both engine fuel switches to the “cutoff” position shortly after takeoff. The First Officer expressed panic, while the Captain reportedly remained calm.
Details from Preliminary AIIB Report
According to sources cited by WSJ:
- Both fuel cutoff switches were turned off within 1 second of each other
- Altitude: Just moments after liftoff
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB) is yet to determine whether this act was accidental or deliberate
Government Urges Caution: ‘Don’t Jump to Conclusions’
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu emphasized that the AIIB report is preliminary and advised against speculation:
“We have to wait for the final report. We believe in the professionalism of our pilots and crew. Let’s not jump to any conclusions.”
He reiterated the need to await concrete findings and acknowledged that technical complexities are involved in such investigations.
Indian Pilots’ Body Condemns US Media Report
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) strongly criticized the Wall Street Journal’s report.
- FIP President CS Randhawa called the article “baseless” and misleading
- Asserted that the AIIB report does not state the pilots shut off fuel intentionally or by mistake
- Warned against drawing conclusions before the final investigation is complete
- FIP plans to take legal action against the publication for misreporting
Air India Completes Safety Checks on Fuel Control Systems
In response to the incident:
- Air India conducted precautionary inspections of Fuel Control Switch (FCS) locking mechanisms across all Boeing 787-8 aircraft
- No faults were found during the checks
- The airline also confirmed Throttle Control Modules (TCMs) had already been replaced as per Boeing’s maintenance schedule
“Inspections were completed over the weekend, and no issues were found,” the airline informed its crew.
Conclusion
As the investigation unfolds, both officials and aviation experts stress the importance of avoiding premature judgments. With only a preliminary report available, definitive answers about what caused the crash — and who or what was responsible — are still pending.
