AI-171 Crash: US Senate Whistleblower Report Backs Pilots’ Claims Of Electrical Failure In Air India Boeing 787 Probe; Family Seeks Fast-Tracked Hearing

A whistleblower’s report to a U.S. Senate subcommittee on the Air India Boeing 787-8 flight AI-171, which crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12 last year, has confirmed what the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) and the family of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal have been saying from day one. The FPJ had front-paged the whistleblower’s report on Wednesday.

FIP reiterates concerns over aircraft faults

President of the FIP, Capt C. S. Randhawa, told FPJ that the submission made before the U.S. Senate subcommittee only confirmed the facts presented by the pilots’ body.

“We have written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India and all other conceivable authorities stating that the fleet of Boeing 787-8 had several electrical malfunctions which need to be rectified. But no one listened to us,” he said.

Former Air India official K. V. J. Rao alleged that Capt Sabharwal was being made a scapegoat in an attempt to take Boeing off the hook. “The Supreme Court should fast-track the hearing so that the truth emerges,” he said, further alleging that a politician was interfering in the probe. Air India has stated that it has left it to the investigative agency to ascertain the truth behind the crash.

Petition before Supreme Court

The Federation has already filed a petition in the Supreme Court along with Pushkar Raj, the 92-year-old father of Capt Sabharwal, seeking an independent and in-depth probe into the horrific crash in which 260 persons were killed. Incidentally, Pushkar Raj, a Powai resident, is a former official of the DGCA. The matter is expected to be heard in March.

Deepa Anand, sister of Capt Sabharwal, told the FPJ that the whistleblower’s report vindicated the family.

ALPA India questions probe

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Capt Sam Thomas, president of the Airline Pilots’ Association (ALPA) India, said that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) should summon Boeing, citing a growing body of evidence pointing towards electrical failure and other systemic aircraft issues.

He criticised the investigation body for taking a casual approach to the probe, specifically noting its failure to involve qualified subject-matter experts.

“These revelations are coming from the US because they actively seek expert assistance. In contrast, the AAIB lacks the specialised qualifications necessary to investigate an accident of this nature, leading them to conveniently deflect blame onto the pilot’s psychological state,” Capt Thomas said.

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“Even a layman can understand that the investigation is heading in the wrong direction. We have been demanding that Boeing be summoned so that the truth can finally be uncovered,” he added.

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