AI-171 crash: Pilots’ body sends legal notice to AAIB for summoning captain’s kin
Federation of Indian Pilots calls move illegal under global rules and alleges AAIB is trying to blame Captain Sumeet Sabharwal for the June 12 tragedy
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is probing the Air India 171 crash in Ahmedabad last year, has reportedly summoned a pilot relative of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was in control of the ill-fated plane, prompting the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) to send the AAIB a legal notice as the summoned pilot had no involvement in the incident.
International Civil Aviation Organization rules reportedly say that it is illegal to call family members for an investigation in such cases and the FIP has alleged that the pilot has been summoned only because the AAIB has a narrative ready to pass the blame on to the dead pilot.
Also read: Air India 171 crash: A father's plea for his dead son
The AAIB’s preliminary report submitted a month after the June 12 crash mentioned a purported conversation between Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar recorded by the cockpit audio in which one (unnamed) pilot asked, “Why did you cut off?” The other reportedly replied, “I didn’t,” leading to immediate speculation that a pilot error was behind the tragedy.
Why has Captain Varun Anand been summoned?
The FIP has argued that the AAIB has not even mentioned why Captain Varun Anand—also a pilot with Air India—has been summoned. He had no link with AI-171 or the crash or flight planning in any which way. So why call him for questioning in relation to the accident that left 260 people dead.
According to the FIP, Captain Anand has been summoned only because he is related to Captain Sabharwal. It has clarified though that despite the unlawfulness of the summons, Captain Anand is willing to appear for the questioning through a video call.
Also read: AAIB slams 'irresponsible' media reports on Air India crash
The Ahmedabad-London Gatwick Air India flight 171 crashed seconds after take-off on the afternoon of June 12, killing all 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers on board and 19 people on the ground. Only one flier miraculously survived.
After the AAIB published the preliminary report, the FIP and Captain Sabharwal’s father, Pushkaraj Sabharwal, 88, who is a retired DGCA official, approached the Supreme Court, calling the report “profoundly flawed”. They alleged that the AAIB was deliberately focusing on the pilots who could no longer defend themselves. However, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu claimed that there the investigation was unbiased and appealed to people to wait for the final report. It is still awaited.