Cover-up to protect Boeing? How western media outlets twisted facts in Air India crash report to blame ‘pilot error’ for Ahmedabad tragedy
On Saturday (12th July), foreign media publications such as Reuters, BBC, Daily Mail and others attempted to blame the pilots of the Air India flight AI171 by deliberately misinterpreting a preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). They did so with the nefarious agenda to shield Boeing, which is under scanner for manufacturing faulty commercial jetliners
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary report on the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171, which killed 260 people, including 19 on the ground. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had taken off from Ahmedabad and was headed for London. But within seconds of takeoff, both engines shut down, and the aircraft crashed into a densely populated area near the airport.
The 15-page report has revealed some critical technical details. It says the plane had reached a speed of 180 knots just before both engines lost power. The Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other, which stopped the fuel supply and caused both engines to fail. There was a brief moment when the engines seemed to recover, but they failed to stabilise. The aircraft began losing altitude right after liftoff and didn’t even make it past the airport’s boundary wall.
The report also notes that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a device that deploys automatically in case of total power loss, was triggered soon after takeoff. This confirmed that the aircraft had lost all electrical and engine power. The AAIB has finished on-site inspections, drone photography, and videography. Both engines have been moved to a secure hangar, and important components have been isolated for further examination. The investigation also ruled out a bird strike as a possible cause, as there was no bird activity recorded in the area during takeoff.
Western media frames the crash as pilot error
Despite these facts, some international media outlets seem to be shaping the narrative in a way that indirectly blames the pilots for the crash. Without waiting for a full investigation or proper conclusions, these reports are picking selective details from the preliminary report and suggesting that the accident was likely due to human error.
This has led to concerns that Western media is attempting to twist the story to shield aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, while making the late pilots look responsible.
The Guardian reports have focused heavily on the fuel switches being moved to the “CUTOFF” position seconds after takeoff, without clearly stating that the report does not confirm who or what caused it.
BBC mentioned that the cockpit fuel switches were turned off during takeoff, something that should only be done in emergencies or after landing. There is then confusion heard in the cockpit, with one pilot asking the other why they had switched off the fuel. The Gatwick-bound plane was being piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar. The report does not specify which voice is which.
The Daily Mail also described the same in their report, how cockpit confusion was heard on the voice recorder, where one pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel.
The AAIB report goes on to say that the cockpit voice recording provided a crucial insight into the moments before the crash. One of the pilots is heard asking the other, “Why did you cut off?” to which the second pilot replied that he had not done so. The pilot tried restarting the engines by moving the switches back to RUN. Engine 1 showed signs of recovery, but Engine 2 continued to struggle.
This exchange has raised concerns over possible miscommunication or a technical malfunction in the critical seconds before both engines shut down.
FAA Advisory on Boeing’s fuel lock issue
An important aspect of the AAIB report has been omitted by several media outlets – the FAA advisory regarding a known fuel lock issue in Boeing aircraft.
Instead of reporting that both pilots denied turning off the fuel switches and that a possible technical malfunction was involved, the focus has been shifted to cockpit confusion and what appears to be pilot error.
This framing can mislead the public and even affect the direction of the ongoing investigation.The truth is, the AAIB has not yet made any findings. It has not incriminated the pilots, nor has it exonerated Boeing and the engine manufacturer.
The report merely mentions what is currently known and advises that further investigation is ongoing. Incriminating the dead pilots at this point without final evidence is unjust and disrespectful, not just to them, but also to the truth.
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