When a preliminary report on the Air India Flight 171 was launched in June. 260 people were killed, a disaster, many hoped it would earn a little.
Instead, the 15 -page report was even more speculated. Despite the tone of the measured report, one detail continues to persecute investigators, aviation analysts and so much society.
After seconds after the boom, both fuel control activates the twelve years Boeing 787 suddenly switched to “cut”, cutting fuel into engines and causing a total power loss-usually done only after landing.
The hanging voice record captures a single pilot asking why he “interrupted”, to which the person replies that he did not. The entry does not explain who said. During the carpet, the Co-Pilot flew with an aircraft while the captain watched.
The switches were returned to the normal detection position, causing an automatic motor support. During the accident, one engine regained attraction and the other – Relit, but has not yet recovered power. The plane was in the air for less than a minute before entering the neighborhood of Ahmedabad in Western Indian city.
Several speculative theory has emerged since the preliminary report – a detailed report is expected to be expected per year.
The Wall Street Journal and Reuters news agency reported that “new details last month in the Air India disaster at the probe focus on the elder pilot in the cab.”
The Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera said its sources told them that the first official repeatedly asked the captain why he “closed the engines”.
Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was a flight captain, and 32 -year -old Clive Kunder was a pilot pilot that flew by plane. Together, both pilots had more than 19,000 hours of flight experience – almost half of its Boeing 787. Both had passed all health checks before the flight before the accident.
It is understood that a wave of speculative leaks shook researchers and angered Indian pilots.
Last week, the Indian Aircraft Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the main investigator, said in a report that “certain international media departments are repeatedly trying to draw conclusions selectively and without checking messages.” This described the following ‘actions [as] Irresponsible, especially as long as the investigation continues. ”
The President of Jennifer Haild, the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), which helps the investigation, said in media reports that media reports were “too early and speculative” and that “research on this size takes time”.
In India, the Indian Commercial Pilot Association condemned the rush to blame the crew as “reckless” and “deep anesthesia”, calling for a restriction until the final report is completed.
Sam Thomas, head of the Airline Pilot Association (Alpa India), said the BBC said “speculation triumphed through transparency”, emphasizing the need to review the history of the aircraft’s care and documents along with the data record data of the cab.
The Dispute Center has a brief cab entry in the report – a whole transcript expected in the final report should explain what really happened.
[BBC]
A Canada -based air accident investigator who wanted to remain an unnamed said that the excerpt of the conversation in the report offers several options.
For example, “If the pilot” B “was the one who controlled the switches – and would do it unconsciously or unconsciously, it is understandable that they later deny it,” the researcher said.
“But if the pilot” A “controls the switches deliberately and intending, he may have asked the question, knowing that the cockpit voice recording device will be checked, and to direct attention and avoid identification as responsible.
“Even if AAIB can eventually determine who said what, it meant that it doesn’t answer the question ‘who turned off the fuel? “”.
“We can never know the answer to this question.”
Investigators told the BBC that although there seems to be strong evidence, fuel switches have been manually off, it is still important to keep the “open mind”.
The disadvantage of the entire airplane authorities’ digital engine control system that monitors engine health and performance, theoretically, could activate automatic shutdown if it receives false sensors, some pilots offer.
However, if the pilot’s summons – “Why did you cut off [the fuel]? ‘ – came after the switches passed to the limit (as noted in the preliminary report), this would damage this theory. The final report is likely to include time stamped dialogue and a detailed engine data analysis to find out.
Speculation was less prompted by what said what and more – what was not said.
The preliminary report did not make a whole transcript of the Cabs Voice Recording (CVR), revealing only one, telling a line from the final moments.
This selective disclosure raised questions: Did the research team trust the identity of the speakers, but chose the rest of the sensitivity? Or maybe they are still uncertain whose voices they had heard and needed more time to thoroughly investigate the question before publishing conclusions?
Peter Goelz, former Director General of the NTSB, says AAIB should issue a transcript of a voice recording device with identified pilot voices.
“If any malfunctions begin during the carpet, they will be recorded in the flight data recording device (FDR) and would probably have caused alerts in the flight management system – warnings that the crew would almost have noticed and, more importantly, to discuss.”
Researchers call for restraint to draw conclusions.
“We have to be careful because it is easy to assume that if the switches were turned off, it must mean an intentional act of piloting a mistake, suicide or anything else. This is a dangerous way we have to descend with the limited information we have,” said Shawn Pruchnicki
At the same time, alternative theories continue to circulate.
Indian newspapers, including Indian Express, marked a possible electrical fire in the tail as the main focus. However, the preliminary report explains: the engines are closed, as both fuel switches were transferred to the limit, which is a fact based on the records. If a tail fire broke out, it was probably after the impact caused by spilled fuel or damaged batteries, an independent investigator said.
Last week, AAIB leader GVG Jugandhar emphasized that the preliminary report aims to “provide information about” what “.
“It is too early to draw clear conclusions,” he said, emphasizing the investigation, and the final report will identify the “main reasons and recommendations”. He also promised to share updates on “technical or public interests” when they arise.
Summarizing, Mr Pruchnicki said the probe “is” associated with two options – conscious actions or confusion, or an automated problem. “
“The report is not in a hurry to blame a person’s mistakes or intention; there is no evidence that it was done intentionally,” he added.
In other words, a non -smoking gun is just uncomfortable waiting for answers that will never even show up.