14 June,2026 11:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram Kavattur
The letter claims that the simulator testing and its consequent results show that no pilot error was involved in the crash. FILE PIC
Writing to the Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Sunday said that there is a need for simulator testing to authenticate the timings given in the preliminary report of the Air India flight AI171 crash, focusing on the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)'s deployment.
The federation referred to a letter received by advocates representing Beasley Allen, attorneys for passengers and families affected by the crash, which states that Boeing 787 simulator testing does not support the timeline mentioned in the AAIB preliminary report issued last July.
The pilots' body states that though the report published by the investigating body indicated that the RAT power generation occurred four to five seconds after fuel cutoff, the simulator testing has reportedly indicated it to be approximately 18 seconds. This means that the RAT deployment may have occurred before the fuel switches were cut off, the federation said.
The letter claims that the simulator testing and its consequent results show that no pilot error was involved in the crash, and suggests it was more likely due to electrical or technical issues, as the RAT's deployment may have been unrelated to the movement of the fuel switches.
Further, the letter quotes the advocate's submission stating that in-air and pre-take-off still images from Ahmedabad airport CCTV show the RAT already deployed on the runway.
"In view of the above, it is requested that the AAIB conduct a comprehensive series of Boeing 787 simulator tests, with an observer nominated by the FIP, to independently verify the acceleration record in the AAIB preliminary report and the relation between RAT deployment, RAT hydraulic power generation and fuel control switch movement, and consider the findings in the final report," the FIP letter read.
Referring to further information taken from the sole survivor's report, including a loud bang and cabin lights dimming, and further technical aspects and damage to the body of the aircraft, the FIP has requested that all these aspects be taken into account to assess whether any electrical system anomalies or software abnormalities contributed to the accident.
The body has further requested a copy of the Ahmedabad airport's security camera footage to be provided to them for independent analysis to determine the precise timing of RAT deployment during take-off.
FIP has submitted in the letter stating: "AAIB should investigate why, despite having its own Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulators and access to ACARS maintenance messages, Air India's Flight Operations and Flight Safety departments could not highlight the discrepancy in RAT hydraulic power availability timings and associated aircraft maintenance messages to the AAIB, and thus allow the âpilot suicide narrative' (as referred to in the letter) to be circulated in national and international news media."
