'Speculative Commentary': Pilots' Union Flags 'Premature' Air India Crash Findings

Last Updated:July 17, 2025, 10:40 IST

The pilots' union demanded a fair probe and said that any conclusion drawn prior to a thorough investigation was "irresponsible".

The Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. (File image: PTI)

As the preliminary probe report in the Air India crash raised questions on the pilots’ action in the cockpit, the pilots’ union has again called out the ‘speculative commentary’. In a letter issued on Wednesday, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) expressed serious concern regarding the preliminary findings and the ongoing chatter over the tragic crash of AI-171 in Ahmedabad.

“At the outset, we would like to register our dissatisfaction with the exclusion of pilot representatives from the investigation process. We also firmly object to the way in which the preliminary report has been interpreted and presented publicly," the letter read.

The letter questioned the probe report over the release of the cockpit chat between the pilots and stated that it built a commentary against the pilots of the ill-fated Ahmedabad-London flight.

“The report, as released, lacks comprehensive data and appears to rely selectively on paraphrased cockpit voice recordings to suggest pilot error and question the professional competence and integrity of the flight crew," the Federation of Indian Pilots’ letter added.

The letter further pointed out that the approach in the preliminary report is neither objective nor complete and therefore urged the public not to reach any premature conclusions.

The union further demanding a fair probe and said that any conclusion drawn prior to a thorough investigation was “irresponsible".

“Assigning blame before a thorough, transparent, and data-driven investigation is both premature and irresponsible. Such speculative commentary undermines the professionalism of highly trained crew members and causes undue distress to their families and colleagues," the letter added.

5-Member Committee Probing Ahmedabad Crash

A five-member expert team, led by Director of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau Sanjay Kumar Singh, is probing the deadly Air India crash.

The remaining team members are from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): Deputy Director Vipin Venu Varakoth, Assistant Director Veeraragavan K, and Air Safety Officer Vaishnav Vijayakumar.

Mahima Joshi

Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a...Read More

Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a...

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