Shillong: The Federation of Indian Pilots has challenged the official investigation into the June 12, 2025, crash of Air India Flight 171. While government investigators maintain that the crew orchestrated a suicide pact by manually cutting off fuel, the FIP argues that a systemic electrical failure triggered the disaster.
FIP President Captain C.S. Randhawa stated that recent simulator tests contradict the official timeline. Investigators claim the plane's ram air turbine deployed four seconds after a manual shutdown, but the FIP's testing indicates this is technically impossible. According to Randhawa, "Our simulator tests prove that a manual fuel cut-off takes a full 18 seconds to drop that backup turbine. The official timeline of four seconds is physically and technically impossible under a manual shutdown scenario."
The federation contends that the rapid deployment of the backup turbine suggests an immediate electrical collapse crippled the aircraft. This theory is supported by the lone survivor, who reported cabin lights flickering moments before the descent. Furthermore, the FIP alleges that the aircraft possessed a documented history of unresolved electrical issues.
The FIP has accused authorities of sidelining top aviation experts, including Captain R.S. Sandhu, to preserve the pilot suicide narrative. The organization is now calling for a halt to the final report's publication and demands a transparent review of their new simulator data by both government officials and Boeing.
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