The head of the United States’ top transportation safety body has criticised media speculation surrounding the Air India crash that claimed 260 lives last month, cautioning that investigations are ongoing and conclusions remain premature.
Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), on Friday called recent reporting around the crash “premature and speculative”. Her remarks, posted on the social platform X, came as speculation mounted following India’s preliminary findings that two critical fuel control switches were turned off shortly after takeoff.
“Investigations of this magnitude take time,” Homendy wrote, without identifying any specific outlets or reports.
Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff on 12 June, killing all on board. The probe is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with technical support from the NTSB and GE Aerospace, the engine manufacturer.
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The AAIB’s preliminary report suggested that fuel switches were momentarily turned to the “cutoff” position immediately after the aircraft became airborne, leading to fuel starvation in the engines. Although the switches were returned to the proper setting within ten seconds, it was already too late to prevent disaster.
According to the cockpit voice recording, First Officer Clive Kunder was heard asking Captain Sumeet Sabharwal why the switches had been moved, to which the latter responded that he hadn’t done so.
The precise cause of the fatal error remains at the heart of the investigation. Authorities are exploring multiple possibilities — from human error or deliberate action to technical malfunction.
India’s civil aviation authority has since ordered an inspection of fuel switches across all Boeing 737 and 787 aircraft in the country. However, investigators have so far not found any evidence of mechanical or design flaws either in the aircraft or the engines.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has echoed the call for patience, urging the public to await the final report. The airline, along with AAIB officials, has cautioned against drawing early conclusions, noting that it could take a year or longer for a full report to be completed.
Homendy’s caution serves as a reminder of the complex technical and human factors involved in aviation disasters. While preliminary findings have raised difficult questions, officials stress that a comprehensive understanding of the incident remains months away.
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