Remain focused: Air India CEO to employees post AI171 crash prelim report

Asks employees not to be distracted by speculation and sensational headlines, and avoid forming conclusions based on the preliminary report

Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson on Monday urged employees to stay focused, cautioning them against getting distracted by speculation and sensational headlines following the preliminary report into the AI171 crash.

 

He asked employees to avoid forming conclusions based on the preliminary report. “The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,” he said.

 

“Until a final report or cause is tabled, there will no doubt be new rounds of speculation and more sensational headlines,” he cautioned.

 

“We must nevertheless remain focused on our task and be true to the values that have powered Air India’s transformation journey over the past three years – integrity, excellence, customer focus, innovation and teamwork,” he stated. 

 

His message came two days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary findings into the AI171 crash shortly after take-off near the Ahmedabad airport, that killed 260 people, including those on board and on the ground.

 

The report has left many Air India employees, particularly pilots, rattled. Some pilots raised concerns about the report’s vague language and others were alarmed by speculation, including suggestions of pilot suicide.

 

Wilson acknowledged the emotional impact the past month has had, calling it a “tragic event” and a period in which “not a moment has gone by without us thinking of the passengers, friends, colleagues and wider community who were lost or injured.”

 

“The release of the preliminary report marked the point at which we, along with the world, began receiving additional details about what took place…Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions,” he noted.

 

Wilson noted that media speculation had intensified after the report’s release. “Over the past 30 days, we’ve seen an ongoing cycle of theories, allegations, rumours and sensational headlines, many of which have later been disproven,” he said.

 

He highlighted key technical points from the AAIB’s findings to counter misinformation. “The preliminary report found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines, and that all mandatory maintenance tasks had been completed. There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status,” he noted. 

 

Wilson reminded staff that every Boeing 787 in Air India’s fleet was inspected under DGCA oversight shortly after the crash, and all were found fit for service. “We continue to perform all necessary checks, as we will any new ones that authorities may suggest,” he added.

 

Wilson concluded the message by outlining the airline’s immediate priorities. “Let us not be diverted from what are our top priorities: standing by the bereaved and those injured, working together as a team, and delivering a safe and reliable air travel experience to our customers around the world,” he said.

 

 According to the AAIB’s preliminary findings, both engine fuel control switches on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft transitioned from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within three seconds of takeoff, leading to a complete loss of thrust from both engines. These switches are designed to manually stop the fuel supply to the engines and require deliberate action to move, raising questions about whether they were moved by the pilots, failed mechanically, or were affected by an electronic malfunction.

 

The report also included a brief exchange between the two pilots captured from the cockpit voice recorder. One pilot is heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel,

 

to which the other responded that he did not do so. Moments later, a mayday call was made before the aircraft crashed into a hostel building near Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College.