Fuel Switch Confusion Casts Shadow Over Air India Tragedy
The AAIB report on the Ahmedabad Air India crash highlights confusion over fuel switches, leading to a tragic loss. Veteran Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and Co-pilot Clive Kunder were involved in the accident that resulted in 261 fatalities, raising critical safety questions.
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The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad has raised concerns over fuel switches on the Boeing 787-8 involved in the incident. The confusion between pilots Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and Clive Kunder regarding the switches is identified as a pivotal point in the investigation.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 30 years of experience and 15,638 flying hours, was the pilot monitoring on AI 171, while the younger Clive Kunder was the pilot flying. The accident claimed the lives of all but one onboard and 19 on the ground, marking it as the deadliest aviation accident in a decade.
The AAIB's 15-page report records the cockpit dialogue where one unidentified pilot questioned the other's action of cutting off the fuel. However, the report remains inconclusive about how the switches were moved to the cutoff position so soon after takeoff.
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