Federation of Indian Pilots Sends Legal Notice to Media Houses Over 'Defamatory' Coverage of Air India Flight 171 Crash

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has issued a legal notice to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, demanding apologies and retractions for their coverage of the Air India Flight 171 crash. The FIP claims the reports were "baseless" and "defamatory," citing a preliminary report by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) that does not specify pilot error.

Preliminary Report Findings:

1. The AAIB report reveals both fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flipped from "Run" to "Cutoff" shortly after takeoff.

2. Cockpit voice recordings indicate one pilot asked why the fuel had been cut off, and the other replied that he had not done it.

3. The report does not assign blame or specify who toggled the switches.

Media Coverage Criticized:

1. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters cited unnamed sources, suggesting the captain deliberately turned off the fuel switches.

2. The FIP argues that these reports were speculative and not supported by the AAIB report.

FIP's Response:

1. FIP President Captain CS Randhawa stated, "Nowhere in the report has it been mentioned that the fuel control switch was turned off due to the pilot's mistake... They have not read the report properly and we will take action."

2. The FIP seeks a full apology and correction from both outlets.

Support from Aviation Community:

1. Multiple pilot associations, including the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA-I), have called for restraint and cautioned against speculative media narratives.

2. The AAIB and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have also emphasized the importance of avoiding premature conclusions and respecting the ongoing investigation