[kellyhound]

The report says that in 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a special safety bulletin regarding potential issues with the locking mechanism on engine fuel control switches in Boeing 737 aircraft. This locking feature prevents the switches from being moved unintentionally.

However, the FAA did not classify it as a major safety concern and did not make inspections mandatory. Similar switches are used in the Boeing 787-8, including the crashed VT-ANB.

The report says Air India informed the investigators it did not carry out the suggested inspection, as the FAA’s guidance was advisory.

Maintenance records show that the aircraft’s throttle control module was replaced in 2019 and 2023, but not due to fuel switch concerns. No defects have been reported with the fuel control switch since 2023, the AAIB report said.

[Hogmann]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

The report says that in 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a special safety bulletin regarding potential issues with the locking mechanism on engine fuel control switches in Boeing 737 aircraft. This locking feature prevents the switches from being moved unintentionally.

However, the FAA did not classify it as a major safety concern and did not make inspections mandatory. Similar switches are used in the Boeing 787-8, including the crashed VT-ANB.

The report says Air India informed the investigators it did not carry out the suggested inspection, as the FAA’s guidance was advisory.

Maintenance records show that the aircraft’s throttle control module was replaced in 2019 and 2023, but not due to fuel switch concerns. No defects have been reported with the fuel control switch since 2023, the AAIB report said.

Yeah I saw this it sounds like they're just mentioning this stuff because it exists but if the throttle control module was changed I think it's pretty unlikely that they would have switches that may or may not have been installed incorrectly. Also that doesn't explain why they were moved separately.

[Xploit Machine]

[Hogmann]

That video is all garbage the only piece of worthwhile information there is the camera angle watching the plane climb and then crash. The service bullet is not related to things wearing out over time is this guy insinuates nor is there any discussion of a chip malfunction the switches were intentionally shut off who did it and why is the only remaining question. Delete this garbage

[Hogmann]

Dan Gryder can be a somewhat polarizing individual because he tells you his opinion and he's not always right but he's a very sharp guy. I think in this situation he's right, deliberate act murder suicide probably by the captain.
I think it helps explain the delay in restarting engines. first officer is flying the captain shuts the engines off the first officer asked him why did you do that and he says he didn't and as the pilot flying the first officer expects the captain turn the engines back on especially if it was not a deliberate act and that creates the delay in restarting the engines not that restarting them quicker would have saved them.

[DarkSighted]

So.... technically, does a murder/suicide count as 'pilot error'?

[kellyhound]

Medical records for an Air India pilot killed in last month’s crash were reportedly turned over to investigators amid reports he’d been suffering from depression and other mental health issues.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was the lead pilot when the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down in Ahmedabad.

Sabharwal, who had more than 15,000 flying hours under his belt at the time of the tragedy, had taken medical leave in recent years due to apparent mental health woes.

“I have heard from several Air India pilots who told me he had some depression and mental health issues,” said Mohan Ranganathan, a leading Indian aviation safety expert.

“He had taken time off from flying in the last three to four years. He had taken medical leave for that.”

Sabharwal had also taken bereavement leave following the 2022 death of his mom and had recently been weighing retirement to care for his aging father, according to the outlet.

The pilot, who underwent a medical exam in September last year, would have been given clearance to return to work.

[akham]

Originally Posted by HIGHTECHDUDE ↗

A preliminary investigation report has just been released that blames pilot error and reveals one of the pilots turned off the fuel switch(es) mid take-off.

No, the interim report does not conlude there was pilot error (or make any other conclusions, as that is not the purpose of an interim report) and, strictly speaking, it does not say the pilots moved the switches. (*)

The interim report (which I have read) is a summary of the facts known to date - ie. what happened, but not why that happened. It states that the switches changed status (run to cutoff) and then, about 10 seconds later, back to run again. It also states that one pilot asked another why they switched the engines off, and the response was that they did not do so.

(*) It says the switches "transitioned" - that being the result of pilots moving them is by far the most likely possibility, but there are other possibilies such as electrical connection problems, etc. This one is a fine distinction, but they are going to spend another 12-18 months investigating the crash and that is why they don't draw conclusions just a month into the process.

[akham]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

What if the switches moved on their own? Is that possible?

No, and certainly not both of them within one second which is what the EAFR data says.

But we need to think this through very carefully.

The EAFR data shows that the *signals* for the fuel cutoff switches changed and that is not exactly the same thing as the switches being moved. In theory (and I am not saying this is likely and I'm certainly not saying that this happened) a wiring issue could cause a discrepancy between switch position and signal status. There have also been cases where a beverage spill on a center pedestal has caused a short circuit with that sort of effect (unlikely during takeoff, but all the possibilities here are unlikely).

This is why the interim report, issued one month into a likely 12-18 month investigation, states what is factually known and does not draw conclusions yet.

[Hogmann]

The interim report says some things but also doesn't say other things. Specifically they don't say which pilot said what. That information is known. The pilot mics have individual feeds to the data recorder. The authorities are choosing to withhold that information what else are they choosing to withhold?