'Irresponsible': SC slams selective leak of Air India inquiry report
What's the story
The Supreme Court has slammed the media for its coverage of the Air India Flight AI171 crash, which killed 260 people. It stated that the selective and piecemeal publishing of the preliminary investigation report was "unfortunate" and emphasized the importance of maintaining total confidentiality until the inquiry is completed. The court was hearing a PIL seeking an independent investigation into the incident. The PIL was filed by Safety Matters Foundation, an aviation safety NGO led by Capt. Amit Singh FRAeS.
Investigation scrutiny
Court questions investigation team composition
During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan questioned the composition of the investigation team, which includes three serving officers of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). He argued that this creates a conflict of interest, as DGCA's role is also under scrutiny. In response, Justice Surya Kant said while demanding a fair inquiry was reasonable, he questioned the petitioner's demand for disclosure of the Flight Data Recorder. "It's not advisable to release [at this point]," he said.
Media influence
Media's role in shaping narratives around pilot error
The petitioners also pointed out how the media has shaped narratives around pilot error. Bhushan noted that The Wall Street Journal published a piece blaming the senior pilot before the official release of the preliminary findings. He further stated that various media stories circulated alleging that a pilot was suicidal. "If he was suicidal, there are 100s of other ways...ridiculous story," Bhushan said. Justice Kant called the reports irresponsible, stressing that "confidentiality is the most important thing in these matters."
Bhushan
Petitioners have sought public disclosure of all basic factual data
Bhushan cited aviation analysts and podcasts like AirLine Matters, which suggested electrical failure was the cause of the crash. In its preliminary report, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) attributed the crash to "fuel cutoff switches" being moved from RUN to CUTOFF. However, the petitioner claims the report omits critical flight data like the entire Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) output, the full Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcript, all of which are required for an objective understanding of the incident.
Investigation notice
Court issues notice for independent investigation
At the end of the hearing, the court issued a notice for an independent investigation. It stressed the need to avoid rumors and speculations till the final inquiry is complete. "When this kind of tragedy happens, one airline would be blamed. Boeing and Airbus will not be attributed with fault, and so the entire airline is run down," Justice Kant remarked.