Govt likely to release report on Air India crash this week; fuel switch error in focus | 10 points

India’s aircraft accident investigators are expected to release a preliminary report by Friday into the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner last month, according to multiple media reports.

The London-bound flight crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard and several others on the ground.

Video footage showed the jet struggling to gain altitude before plunging back and exploding near the airport in the world’s worst aviation disaster in over a decade.

While authorities are yet to confirm the release date, the report is expected within 30 days of the incident in line with global aviation norms, with a final detailed report to follow within a year.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s initial report will examine data retrieved from the cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder, offering the first official explanation for the crash.

Here are 10 key points on the latest developments:

1. The preliminary report could be released by Friday, reported Bloomberg, though officials have not confirmed an exact date.

2. Investigators are analysing cockpit voice and flight data recorders, with Boeing running flight simulations.

3. The probe zeroing in on the movement of the plane’s fuel control switches, reported Reuters, quoting people familiar with the matter.

4. Investigators are focusing on whether any action involving the engine fuel control switches contributed to the sudden loss of thrust, according to the report.

5. The black box data does not conclusively rule out improper, inadvertent or intentional switch movements, the report said.

6. US safety expert John Cox said fuel switches cannot be accidentally moved, and shutting them off would cut power instantly.

7. There is no indication yet of mechanical failure, and airlines have not been issued safety bulletins.

8. The crash is the first ever complete loss of a 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

9. A Parliamentary panel on Tuesday held discussions with senior civil aviation ministry officials as well as airline and airport representatives, with some members demanding an audit of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

10. Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson and senior aviation ministry officials attended the meeting amid concerns over the airline’s safety reputation.