More than 160 people were killed earlier this year as an Air India flight crashed mere minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. Multiple theories have emerged in the subsequent months — with a preliminary report explaining that both fuel switches had clicked into the ‘cut off’ position soon after the aircraft departed. Lawyers representing the family of 130 victims have now highlighted a possible glitch with the electrical system and ‘water leaks’ that might have hampered flight operations.
“According to the survivor, the lights flickered off and on and then turned green just prior to the crash. To us, it indicates, it was switching from the primary electrical bus to the secondary or emergency lights… The experts say there was a problem with the electrical system… We have also been able to uncover the water leaks that occurred on these plane,” lead lawyer Mike Andrews told ANI.
He revealed that the families of 130 victims had come together to investigate the matter as questions continued to swirl about the crash. The lawyer said his group was working with experts to understand the evidence based on existing stories. Andrews also questioned the possible impact of the suspected water leak on the aircraft electrical systems.
Indian, US investigators to meet next week
The remarks came ahead of a planned meeting between Indian and American investigators next week. According to a Bloomberg report, officials plan to share their findings as well as information gleaned from the cockpit voice and flight data recorders. The meeting will take place at the NTSB headquarters in Washington DC with representatives from various parties (including Boeing) in attendance.
“Our question is that if there were leaks, what impact did they have on the electrical systems in these planes and on the symptoms that we are seeing with the crash… Reportedly, the AAIB and other investigators may be travelling to Washington this week to meet the National Transportation Safety Board. We are interested in the reasons for their trip and what they fund that they think they need to show,” Andrews added.
Water leak concerns
Andrews had also broached the possibility of a water leak earlier this year — telling Times of India in October that both Boeing and the American Federal Aviation Administration knew about the issue. He claimed that Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes had faced similar issues for nearly a decade.
Our team obtained FAA and Boeing documents (which show they knew).The documents include field reports of wet computers in electronic equipment bays. I have purchased the referenced couplings and our experts are evaluating how they loosen and leak,” the publication quoted him as saying.
Note: Financial Express has reached out to Air India for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.