‘Not about witch hunt to blame pilots but …’: Aviation Safety consultant Mark D Martin slams AAIB report on Air India flight 171 crash

NEW DELHI: Aviation safety consultant and founder and CEO of Martin Consulting, Mark D Martin, on Sunday called for a fair and “unbiased” investigation into the recent Air India flight 171 crash, emphasising that the preliminary investigation report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) tried to “put the blame deliberately on the pilots and exonerate the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer).”

During an interview with ANI, Martin criticised the report for its focus on pilot actions, particularly the movement of engine fuel cutoff switches from “run” to “cutoff” within seconds, despite initial indications of engine failure.

“World pilots are not stupid. World pilots know the truth. And a pilot who puts his life on the line for his family’s livelihood will not fall for this report, even if they are aware…. It’s time we take this investigation seriously. This is not about a witch hunt to blame the pilots. It’s about a fair and just investigation,” he said.

“My point is very simple. When you don’t have the engines in the first place, when the engines have failed, when fuel is not going to the engine, why does the point of fuel cut-off come up? Now what they’re trying to do is put the blame deliberately on the pilots and exonerate the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), and that is not correct,” he argued while questioning the logic behind the report’s narrative.

He highlighted the procedural context, noting that fuel cutoff procedures are relevant only when engines are operational, not when they have already failed.

“Fuel cutoff logic comes only when the memory item and procedure and QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) for starting the engine are that you have to put the switch back in to cut off and bring it back on. Now that is something which has happened, but that has happened to engines that were already when the engines had already failed, so it doesn’t make sense,” he explained.

The consultant also raised concerns about the timing and audience of the report’s release while suggesting a bias in the investigation process.

“Second, which is very shocking, is why did the report come out at 2 am in the morning when the aircraft is Indian… It is close of business for the UK. But you’re releasing it at 2 a.m. for the American audience. That does not make sense at all,” Martin said.

He pointed out the global impact of the crash, which claimed 260 lives, describing it as “probably the worst air disaster in 40 years” and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene.

“I’m repeating myself; I’m urging honourable Prime Minister Shri Modi ji to please intervene. We cannot have a biased investigation report because 787s, these aircraft, are flying across the world and even as we speak, there is a rippling effect with operators across the world,” he stated.

Martin also condemned baseless conspiracy theories, particularly remarks suggesting pilot suicide, calling them “the most ridiculously stupid thing a pilot can say about another pilot without having any evidence, any information, or any logic”, calling for the need for proactive communication from the government to counter such narratives.

On Friday, India’s AAIB released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. The report has sparked a controversy in the aviation industry and the general public for allegedly blaming the crash on pilots. (ANI)