On Sunday (July 13, 2025), the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said that the crew of the AI-171 flight that crashed last month acted in line with training and responsibility under difficult conditions, and that pilots should not be slandered based on speculation.
Heavily rejected several quarterly insinuations about the pilot's suicide, the association representing Air India's narrow-body pilots emphasized that speculations are not accepted and need to be condemned until the official investigation is finished and the final report is published.
Read the preliminary report here
It can be noted here that the Indian Airlines Pilot Association also requested a fair and factual investigation into the Air India Airlines crash crash as it claimed on Saturday (12th July 2025) that the tone and direction of the investigation into the Air India Airlines crash crash suggests a bias towards pilot error.
The ICPA is the body of a narrow body fleet pilot from Air India, owned by Tata Group.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released a preliminary report on the fatal crash of a Boeing 787-8 plane on June 12, killing 260 people. The report found that the fuel supply to both engines of the Air India Flying AI171 was cut off within one second of each other, causing the cockpit and plane to return to the ground just after takeoff.
The 15-page report states that in the cockpit audio recording, one unidentified pilot asked the other pilot why they cut off the fuel.
In a preliminary report on the crash crash of Air India's AI-171 flight from Air Medabird to London Gatwick on June 12, which killed 260 people on June 12, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said on Saturday (12th July 2025) that the fuel switch on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft was quickly cut off.
“In the audio recordings of the cockpit, one of the pilots hears asking the other people why he cut off.
The ICPA on Sunday said it was deeply disturbed by speculative narratives appearing in the media and public discourse sections.
“At this stage there is absolutely no basis for such claims. It is not only irresponsible to invoke such serious allegations based on incomplete or preliminary information, but will not be deeply affected by the individuals and families involved,” the statement said.
The association emphasized that pilots will undergo extensive psychological and professional screening, recurrence training and operate under the highest standards of safety, responsibility and mental fitness.
Noting that the ICPA trusts and respects strict investigation protocols established by competent authorities, it stated that these inquiries are designed to systematically reveal facts without bias.
“Until the official investigation is finished and the final report is published, speculation of such a significant nature, especially not accepted and must be condemned.
“… The crew of Al 171 acted in line with their training and responsibility under challenging conditions. They deserve support, not slander based on speculation,” he added.
In its preliminary report, the AAIB said the investigation is ongoing and the investigator team will review and investigate additional evidence, records and information sought by stakeholders.
“The tone and direction of the investigation suggests a bias towards pilot error… ALPA India has defied this estimate and argued that it is a fair and factual investigation that the Indian Airlines Pilot Association (ALPA) stated in its statement on Saturday.
The association also requested that its representatives be observers of the research process to ensure transparency and accountability.
Alpa India is a member of the International Airlines Pilot Association (IFALPA).
“We were once again surprised by the secrets surrounding these investigations, and we are repeating the fact that no appropriately qualified personnel are on board for these important investigations,” Alpa India argued in the letter.
“We feel that the investigation is driven in a direction that assumes pilot guilt, and we are strongly opposed to this series of thoughts.”
Noting that the report refers to a maintenance update on fuel-controlled switch gates indicating potential equipment malfunctions, the association said “while there is a breaking news, it clearly requires that the recommendations outlined in the breaking news have been implemented prior to flight.” Air India says it will join the pilot community by holding dedicated sessions in the coming days to review the preliminary investigation report.
Published – July 13, 2025 03:29 PM IST
