A preliminary report into the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash is set to be released this week — with the probe narrowing its focus to the fuel control switches. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had crashed minutes after takeoff last month, killing all but one passenger and more than a dozen people on the ground. Experts however warn that it may be an oversimplification to focus on the fuel switch issue without considering the underlying reasons that led to such a decision.
According to a source-based Reuters report, the investigation is currently focused on the movement of the engine fuel control switches following an analysis of the flight and voice data recorders. Boeing had also conducted a simulation of the final moments of the aircraft. The investigation has reportedly not raised any immediate concerns over mechanical failure and there has been no bulletin to airlines recommending changes to 787 operations. US aviation safety expert John Cox also noted that it was not possible for a pilot to ‘accidentally’ move the fuel switches that fed the engines.
‘Not something to play around with’
According to Captain Rakesh Rai, it is somewhat an oversimplification to link the Air India crash solely to fuel switches. The pilot who has previously commanded the same Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad told Mojo Story on Wednesday that such as decision (if taken at all) would only come under extenuating circumstances.
“Captain Sumit and his co-pilot did not walk from home, come to the aircraft and say: ‘Let’s play games with the fuel control switches’. Even if the fuel control switch was cut off and rerun, there must have been something there must have something gone wrong with the airplane. That’s why they did that. It’s not something to play around with,” he said.
He also reiterated the impossibility of triggering it by accident — noting that it could only be “a deliberate attempt to switch off the fuel control switches”. He also cited the standard operating procedure outlined by Boeing in case of a dual engine failure to underscore his point.
“Dual engine failure is a situation that demands prompt action regardless of altitude or air speed. Accomplish memory items and establish the appropriate air speed to immediately attempt a windmill start. There is a higher probability that a windmill start will succeed if the restart attempt is made as soon as possible or immediately after recognizing an engine failure. Cycling both fuel switches is used during a dual engine failure to reset both EECs,” he quoted.
Senior officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau told a parliamentary panel on Wednesday that the preliminary report on the plane crash in Ahmedabad is likely to be placed in the public domain in the next few days.