Air India Flight 171 crash investigation meets pilot body challenge over emergency power system

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) marked the first anniversary of the Air India Flight 171 crash, noting "significant progress" on the inquiry but saying a final report will be released only after completing all technical, operational, organisational and human‑factor analyses and the required international review. The bureau’s preliminary findings highlighted that the Boeing 787’s dual fuel‑cutoff switches were moved from RUN to CUTOFF within ten seconds of take‑off, a point contested by the United States NTSB.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has now written to the AAIB, questioning the timeline for the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment. The pilots’ union says the investigation report states the RAT became operational in four to five seconds after a fuel‑supply interruption, whereas independent simulator tests by U.S. lawyers suggest it takes about 18 seconds. The FIP argues this discrepancy could indicate a malfunction occurring before the aircraft left the runway. It also points to ACARS fault messages transmitted about 14 minutes before take‑off and video evidence it says shows the RAT deployed while still on the ground. The pilots’ body is demanding fresh simulator testing, access to full CCTV footage from Ahmedabad airport and greater transparency from Air India, while the AAIB and the airline have not yet responded.