The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has challenged the official explanation behind the crash of Air India Flight AI 171, claiming that fresh simulator tests suggest a major electrical failure and not deliberate action by the pilots that may have caused the disaster, as per IANS.
Addressing a press conference, FIP President Captain C.S. Randhawa alleged that investigators overlooked critical technical evidence and excluded experienced aviation experts from key parts of the investigation.
Official report blamed pilot actions
The government’s interim report into the June 12, 2025 crash near Ahmedabad airport had concluded that the flight crew manually cut off fuel to the aircraft’s engines, leading to a loss of power shortly after take-off.
According to the report, the aircraft’s ram air turbine (RAT) — an emergency backup power system — deployed four seconds after the fuel supply was cut.
Simulator tests raise questions
However, the pilots’ federation said it recently carried out simulator tests using the same weight, balance and weather conditions as the ill-fated flight.
According to Randhawa, the results do not match the timeline presented in the official report. “Our simulator tests prove that a manual fuel cut-off takes a full 18 seconds to deploy the backup turbine. The official timeline of four seconds is physically and technically impossible,” Randhawa said, reported the news agency.
The FIP argues that the rapid deployment of the backup turbine indicates that a major electrical failure occurred before the engines lost power.
Electrical failure theory
The federation believes that a sudden electrical malfunction may have affected multiple aircraft systems, triggered the engine switches and eventually led to the crash.
FIP also pointed to statements made by the lone survivor of Flight AI 171, who reportedly recalled seeing the cabin lights flicker and dim moments before the aircraft began losing altitude.
According to the pilots’ body, this account supports the possibility of a significant electrical failure onboard.
Federation questions investigation
The pilots’ body alleged that Captain R.S. Sandhu, whom it described as India’s leading Boeing 787 expert, was excluded from crucial stages of the investigation.
“They are ignoring the input of our most experienced pilot because his knowledge would completely disprove their pilot suicide theory,” Randhawa alleged. “It is easier to blame dead pilots who cannot defend themselves than to confront a major mechanical or software flaw,” he added, as per the news agency.
They further claimed that the aircraft had a history of unresolved electrical issues before the fatal flight. It also alleged that investigators failed to adequately examine these technical concerns while focusing on the theory that pilot actions caused the crash.
Demands for review
The FIP said it has submitted its simulator findings to Boeing and government aviation authorities.
The federation has demanded that the final accident report not be released until the differences between the official findings and simulator results are thoroughly examined. It has also called for Captain Sandhu’s reinstatement to the investigation team, saying his expertise is necessary for a fair and transparent review.
(With IANS Inputs)
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