Air India Flight 171: Factors Under Investigation, Pilot Actions Scrutinized

The Air India flight 171 crash is under investigation, and Captain Prashant Dhalla, a former DGCA Flight Operations Inspector, has offered his insights. Dhalla cautioned against immediately blaming the pilots, focusing on the preliminary findings from the AAIB. He mentioned the report’s reference to the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) and theorized that pilots may have been attempting to deal with engine-related problems. Dhalla proposed the ‘startle effect’ as a potential factor influencing pilot actions. He also highlighted the design of fuel cutoff switches, made to prevent unintentional operation. According to Dhalla, the actions of the pilots suggested that engine-related problems were at play. Furthermore, he emphasized the limited time the pilots had to react, given the low altitude of the aircraft.