A-I 171 crash probe agency denies pilots' body request for representation

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Pilots' grouping ALPA India on Friday said AAIB has declined the request to include its representative in the team probing the Air India plane crash in June that killed 260 people, citing government norms.

Representatives of the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) India on Friday held a meeting with Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) Director General GVG Yugandhar in the national capital.

The discussion mainly revolved around having subject experts in aircraft accident investigations.

After the meeting, ALPA India President Sam Thomas said there was not much discussion on the Air India plane crash due to the ongoing investigation.

"AAIB expressed its inability to include pilots from ALPA as subject matter experts in the team probing the Air India plane crash, citing government norms," he told PTI.

In one of the worst aircraft accidents in India, a total of 260 people, including 241 passengers, died after Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI 171 to London Gatwick crashed soon after take off from Ahmedabad on June 12.

ALPA India, an associate member of the global pilots' body IFLAPA, has been demanding that its representative be included in the team probing the plane crash.

Thomas said AAIB has assured ALPA India that it will be invited for the quarterly meetings in the future.

On Thursday, ALPA India said the meeting with AAIB is to deliberate on its role as subject matter expert in accident investigations.

"ALPA India is optimistic of a positive outcome from this engagement, particularly with regard to participation as part of the investigation into the AI 171 crash. Such collaboration is expected to strengthen investigative processes by incorporating the critical perspective of pilots, thereby contributing to safer skies for all," the grouping had said.

AAIB, in its preliminary report released on July 12, had said the fuel supply to both engines of the plane was cut off within a gap of one second, causing confusion in the cockpit soon after takeoff.

"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," it had said.

The Supreme Court, on September 22, termed as "unfortunate and irresponsible" the selective publication of a preliminary report on the June 12 Air India crash, which outlined lapses on the part of pilots and paved the way for a "media narrative".