MUMBAI: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has demanded that the federal government instantly represent a judicial probe and maintain a Court of Inquiry that is_into the crash of Air India Flight AI 171. In a letter to the ministry, FIP alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) inquiry has been “irrevocably compromised” by bias, illegal leaks, and makes an attempt to prematurely pin the blame on the pilots.In a strongly worded letter dated September 22 to the Minister of Civil Aviation, the FIP mentioned the AAIB’s conduct has “shattered the confidence of bereaved families and the aviation fraternity” within the ongoing probe into the June 12 catastrophe. The accident, involving a Boeing 787-8 working from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, claimed the lives of each pilots, ten cabin crew members, 229 passengers, and 19 individuals on the bottom.
Accusations Against AAIB
The pilots’ body cited “egregious procedural and ethical breaches” by investigators, together with a go to by AAIB officers to the residence of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal’s 91-year-old father, Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, beneath the pretext of providing condolences. During that go to, the officers allegedly insinuated—based mostly on selective cockpit voice recorder (CVR) readings and a “layered voice analysis”—that Capt. Sabharwal had intentionally reduce off gasoline provide after take-off.Calling this “professionally indefensible,” the FIP accused the AAIB of making an attempt to ascertain a “pilot error narrative” earlier than finishing a complete evaluation. “This act of poisoning the well serves to frame the victim as the perpetrator from the outset, conveniently deflecting scrutiny from systemic failures in manufacturing, maintenance, or oversight,” the letter mentioned.The FIP additionally charged that the AAIB unlawfully leaked protected CVR info to the media, fuelling speculative studies about Capt. Sabharwal’s psychological well being. Media tales linked the accident to his divorce 15 years earlier and his mom’s dying three years in the past, regardless of his unblemished 30-year flying report and 15,638 hours of protected operations.
Legal and International Concerns
The pilots’ affiliation harassed that these actions violate Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, which prohibits disclosure of CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) content material. They additionally contravene the central precept of accident investigation—that its sole function is accident prevention, not assigning blame.The letter warned that India dangers worldwide censure for failing to stick to International Civil Aviation Organisation- ICAO’s Annex 13, which pertains to accident investigations. It requires unbiased and neutral investigations. Sabharwal has already positioned the Ministry on discover of potential authorized motion, additional heightening the stakes.
Demand for a Judicial Inquiry
Under Rule 12 of the 2017 Rules, the federal government has the authority to order a proper Court of Inquiry when an investigation is insufficient. The FIP mentioned this was not simply “expedient but an urgent necessity,” given the size of the tragedy, the lack of public belief, and the “manifest bias” proven by the AAIB.The federation proposed that the Court be led by a retired Supreme Court decide and assisted by a panel of unbiased specialists in operations, plane upkeep, avionics, flight management methods, and human components. “Unlike the AAIB’s administrative process, a Court of Inquiry has all the powers of a civil court, including summoning documents from manufacturers like Boeing and General Electric,” the letter famous.The FIP pointed to the precedent of the 2010 Mangalore crash, when the federal government constituted a Court of Inquiry led by a retired Air Marshal with a multidisciplinary panel. While that inquiry in the end cited pilot error, it was accepted as credible and clear. The AI171 case, the federation argued, calls for a good larger normal of independence attributable to allegations of cover-up.
Global Cautionary Tale
The pilots’ body additionally drew parallels with the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, the place early efforts responsible pilots delayed the invention of systemic design flaws. “India cannot afford to repeat this mistake,” the letter warned. It argued that the AI171 crash, which occurred inside a minute of take-off, bore the hallmarks of a catastrophic system failure and should be investigated with that chance in thoughts.
Three Key Demands
The FIP urged the Ministry to:
- Constitute a Court of Inquiry beneath Rule 12, formally halting the AAIB probe.
- Ensure judicial and skilled management of the inquiry, headed by a retired Supreme Court decide.
- Issue public clarification that the target of accident investigations is security, not blame, and direct the AAIB to stop extra-judicial commentary or media leaks.
“This demand is not made lightly,” the federation concluded. “A compromised, biased investigation that defaults to a simplistic and handy ‘pilot error’ narrative is the only biggest menace. It ensures that underlying risks stay hidden, solely to re-emerge in a future catstrophe.
