Air India Plane Crash: International pilots’ group cautions against ‘hasty conclusions’ on preliminary probe report

MONTREAL(Canada):The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) has issued a statement cautioning against hasty conclusions based on the preliminary report into the Air India 171 incident.

The federation emphasised that preliminary reports are meant to disseminate factual data obtained during the early stages of an investigation and do not provide definitive answers.

IFALPA highlighted that the preliminary report is not conclusive and should not be used for speculation or drawing premature conclusions.

The federation noted that the report clearly states that no safety recommendations are being provided at this stage, and the investigation is ongoing.

An official statement by IFALPA said on Monday, “IFALPA again cautions against hasty conclusions published by the media and social media based on this report. As a reminder, a Preliminary Report is merely the means of communication used for the prompt dissemination of data obtained during the early stages of the investigation and only contains factual information and an indication of the progress of the investigation. In accordance with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13, such Reports are published within thirty days of the occurrence.”

IFALPA is concerned about the potential for media and social media speculation based on the preliminary report, which could be detrimental to the investigation. The federation stressed the importance of a thorough and professional investigation to determine the causes of the accident and ensure aviation safety.

IFALPA expressed its commitment to supporting the efforts of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India in determining the contributing factors of the accident and emphasised the need for professionalism and respect for the victims, including the families of the crew and passengers, while the full investigation is conducted

“Whilst this preliminary Report by its very nature raises many questions, it does not provide answers, and any extrapolation of its content can only be regarded as guesswork, which is not helpful to the good conduct of the investigation. IFALPA also notes that the Report clearly states that no safety recommendations are being provided at this stage. The Federation remains committed to supporting the efforts of the AAIB of India as they work to determine the contributing factors of this accident.”

It said, “The victims, including the families of the crew and passengers of Air India 171, deserve our collective professionalism while the full investigation is conducted.”

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations represents over 1,48,000 pilots in nearly 100 countries worldwide. It is the global voice of professional pilots, providing representation, services, and support to promote the highest level of aviation safety worldwide.

This comes after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India in July 11, 2025 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 pinpointed the critical event as both fuel cutoff switches for the GE GEnx-1B engines moving from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” within one second of each other during the initial climb, approximately 30 seconds after reaching a maximum airspeed of 180 knots IAS. This cut off fuel to both engines, causing a catastrophic loss of thrust.

The report found no evidence of mechanical failure, design flaws, or bird strikes. Fuel samples from the refueling tanks were satisfactory, ruling out contamination.

The AI 171 crash of the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad, Gujarat killed 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. (ANI)