Pilot Controversy Amid Air India Crash Investigation

Amid controversies surrounding the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad last month, aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan pointed fingers at human error as the accident's prime cause. His assertion comes in the wake of the pilots' associations expressing worries over premature speculation attributing the crash to pilot error.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) has defended the crew's actions, emphasizing they adhered to their training despite adverse conditions. Ranganathan, analyzing the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), highlighted the manual mishandling of fuel switches as pivotal, dismissing mechanical or software issues.

Ranganathan criticized the AAIB report for its lack of transparency, arguing it leaves room for multiple interpretations. As investigations continue, the civil aviation ministry urges restraint from drawing conclusions until the final report, while pilots condemn unfounded allegations of pilot suicide.

(With inputs from agencies.)