Expert 'mathematically' debunks Air India crash theory
What's the story
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released a preliminary report on the June 12 Air India crash, which killed 260 people. The report noted that fuel switches were moved from "run" to "cutoff" within one second. Some media reports suggested this was intentional, a claim aviation expert Captain Eshan Khalid strongly refuted.
Expert analysis
Khalid questions timing of switch adjustments
Khalid questioned the timing of the switch adjustments, stating it would have taken 500 milliseconds to move both switches. He wondered why there was a 10-second delay in reversing the switches if one pilot noticed and asked about the cutoff. "For the sake of argument, let's assume one pilot was [trying to kill themselves]. The other pilot was trying to live," he said, questioning why both pilots didn't act faster in a life-threatening situation.
Alternative theory
What the AAIB report says
Khalid proposed that an electrical signal could have turned off the fuel supply instead of manual switch adjustments. He speculated the switches were only moved later when pilots attempted to restart the engines unsuccessfully. The AAIB report confirmed that both engine fuel cutoff switches transitioned from "run" to "cutoff" within one second after reaching maximum airspeed at 08:08:42 UTC.
Report findings
'Cut off the fuel supply...': Confusion in cockpit before crash
The AAIB report also highlighted confusion in the cockpit before the crash. In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so. This has led to speculation about possible human error or mechanical malfunction leading to this tragedy.
Media response
AAIB slams media for drawing premature conclusions
The AAIB has also slammed international media outlets for drawing premature conclusions through selective reporting. It stressed that investigations of this magnitude take time and urged respect for victims' families. The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy echoed similar sentiments, calling recent media reports "premature and speculative."