Indian pilots association defends crew after Air India crash and condemns suicide speculation

MUMBAI: The pilots of Air India flight 171acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions; they deserve support, not vilification based on conjecture, said the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA), in a bulletin issued on Sunday.On June 12, an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick crashed soon after take-off killing 270 people, including 19 on ground. In the early hours of Saturday, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report into the accident. The report said that both the fuel switches on the Boeing 787 transitioned from ``Run’’ to “Cut-off” three seconds after the aircraft lifted off the Ahmedabad runway, thus cutting off fuel supply to the engines.

“In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off (the fuel supply). The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the AAIB report said. Following the release of the report, some pilots and aviation professionals, opined, in interviews given to electronic media and on posts put up in the social media, that one of the pilots knowingly cutoff the fuel supply switch. “In the aftermath of this incident, we are deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse—particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.

Let us be unequivocally clear: there is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage, and invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible—it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved,” said the ICPA, one of Air India pilots' unions.

“Pilots undergo extensive psychological and professional screening, recurrent training, and operate under the highest standards of safety, responsibility, and mental fitness.

To casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession,” it added.The AAIB report is ambiguous on why the fuel control switches were cut off. It referred to a 2018 safety bulletin issued by the US aviation regulator, the document instructed airlines to look out for a possible mechanical fault with the fuel control switches which could cut off fuel supply to the engines, without pilots input.

The AAIB report said that Air India did not carry out the said inspection as it was not deemed mandatory.

“As aviation professionals, we trust and respect the rigorous investigative protocols established by competent authorities. These inquiries are designed to uncover facts methodically and without bias. Until the official investigation is concluded and the final report is published, any speculation—especially of such a grave nature—is unacceptable and must be condemned,” the union said, calling on media and public commentators to act with restraint, empathy, and respect for due process.