Tragedy Strikes: Air India's Fatal Flight 171 Crash Under Scrutiny
Air India flight 171 experienced a catastrophic crash due to potential pilot error, as suggested by a preliminary report. The report, under dispute by the Airlines Pilots Association, raises questions about the impartiality of the investigation. The crash claimed 261 lives, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade.
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- India
A preliminary investigation into the crash of Air India flight 171 suggests pilot error as the cause, citing the fuel control switches of both engines being cut off minutes before the accident. However, the Airlines Pilots Association of India has challenged this finding, claiming the investigation lacks transparency and shows bias against the pilot.
The report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau does not point to a definitive cause for the switches' movement or assign blame specifically to the pilots. First Officer Clive Kunder was at the controls, with experienced Captain Sumeet Sabharwal overseeing the flight. Both men were well-respected in their field, remembered fondly by friends and colleagues.
The crash, which occurred soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulted in the deaths of nearly all 242 passengers and 19 more on the ground. Families of the pilots have, for now, refrained from media interactions, grappling with the tragedy's aftermath while the public waits for clearer answers.
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