‘Report claims state of ‘confusion’ between pilots’, says DGCA’s former flight operations inspector on media report on AI-171 crash

NEW DELHI: Former Flight Operations Inspector with the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), Captain Prashant Dhalla, spoke to media house on Thursday regarding the Wall Street Journal’s news report on the Air India AI 171 crash that occurred in Ahmedabad last month.

Dhalla emphasised the word ‘transitioned’, which was mentioned in the report. He further explained that this report suggests a challenge-and-response dynamic exists between the two pilots, with one questioning the other, and a state of confusion.

“The report uses a particular word – ‘transitioned’. The fuel control switches transitioned, according to the report. This report suggests that a challenge-and-response dynamic exists between the two pilots, with one questioning the other, and a s

#WATCH | Delhi | On Wall Street Journal’s news report on Air India AI 171 crash, Former Flight Operations Inspector with DGCA, Captain Prashant Dhalla says, ” The report uses a particular word – ‘transitioned’. The fuel control switches transitioned, the report says. This report… pic.twitter.com/JmZ7B93Qbo

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025

“If any changes were made due to a failure in this aircraft, they would have used these switches to regain power. If there was a problem with the locking mechanism of these switches, then the pilots were also helpless,” Captain Dhalla added further.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) President, CS Randhawa, on Thursday, condemned a media report that claimed that the captain of the flight deliberately cut off fuel to the engines.

Captain Randhawa emphasised that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report makes no mention of the pilots turning off the switches controlling fuel flow to the engines.

“Nowhere in the report has it been mentioned that the fuel control switch was turned off due to the pilot’s mistake. I condemn the article. They have not read the report properly, and will take action against them through FIP,” said Captain Randhawa.

Furthermore, he urged people not to comment on the AAIB’s preliminary report, as this might create undue fear among commuters about air travel.

The two pilots involved were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had a total flying experience of 15,638 hours and 3,403 hours, respectively.

A preliminary report released last week by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau depicted confusion in the cockpit shortly before the June 12 crash and raised fresh questions over the position of the critical engine fuel cutoff switches, the report said.

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)