Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has urged staff not to draw early conclusions about last month’s plane crash in Ahmedabad, saying the investigation is still ongoing.
His comments came in an internal memo on Monday, two days after a preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau was made public.
The crash involved a Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed for London. The aircraft lost thrust shortly after takeoff and later crashed, killing 260 people. Only one of the 242 people on board survived, while 19 others were killed on the ground.
The report said the plane’s engine fuel cutoff switches flipped almost at the same time, cutting off fuel supply and causing the engines to stop.
Wilson said the preliminary report offered both clarity and new questions. He noted that it did not identify a cause or make any recommendations. “I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over,” he wrote.
The report found no faults with the aircraft’s mechanical systems or maintenance. It said all required maintenance had been performed. It also made no immediate suggestions for Boeing or GE, the engine maker.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, under India’s civil aviation ministry, is leading the probe. Meanwhile, Air India is facing broader scrutiny. On July 4, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency launched a probe into Air India Express after it was reported that the airline had delayed replacing engine parts on an Airbus A320 and falsified records to show compliance.
ALPA India, a pilots’ group affiliated with the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations, rejected the idea that pilot error caused the crash. The group has called for a fair, fact-based investigation and said it should be allowed to take part in the probe as observers.
