The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has sharply criticised a recent article by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which linked the Air India flight crash to an alleged pilot error. The FIP expressed concern that the article misinterpreted the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) by suggesting the fuel control switches were mistakenly operated by the captain.
According to the AAIB&rsquo;s preliminary report, both fuel control switches on the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner were found in the &lsquo;cut off&rsquo; position shortly after take-off. A cockpit exchange recorded in the black box captured one pilot asking, &ldquo;Why did you cut off fuel?&rdquo; with the other responding, &ldquo;I did not do so.&rdquo; However, the report did not name the pilots involved in the exchange or assign blame to either individual, nor did it clarify whether the fuel shutoff was intentional or a result of a malfunction.
Despite this, the WSJ report claimed that U.S. officials believed the captain was responsible for turning off the fuel switches, citing unnamed sources familiar with early assessments.
FIP has raised objections, calling for restraint in media reporting until the final report is released. The group also demanded a deeper investigation into the possibility of a Throttle Control Malfunction Accommodation (TCMA), referencing a similar incident with an ANA flight in 2019 where both engines shut down due to a system failure, not pilot error.
The FIP further objected to the lack of pilot representation in the crash investigation panel and urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to reconstitute it to include pilots, engineers, and air safety experts.
The Dreamliner involved was flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had over 15,000 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kunder, with more than 3,400 hours.
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FIP condemns WSJ’s claim of pilot error in Air India crash, demands deeper probe

FIP Slams WSJ Over Air India Crash Report, Seeks

FIP condemns WSJ’s claim of pilot error in Air India crash, demands deeper probe

July 17, 2025 | 20:16 IST