The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has taken legal action against international media outlets The Wall Street Journal and Reuters for their recent reports on the June 12 Air India crash, media reports said.
The federation has strongly objected to suggestions made in the reports that pilot error or cockpit confusion may have been responsible for the tragedy, stating that these claims are unverified and premature.
In a legal notice issued to both publications, the pilots’ body has demanded a formal apology, accusing the media houses of “selective and unverified reporting”.
The FIP said such reporting has not only harmed the reputation of the deceased pilots but also caused emotional distress to their families. The notice, as quoted by India Today, read, “The publication of such speculative content is highly irresponsible, and has caused grave and irreparable harm to the reputation of the deceased pilots, who are unable to defend themselves.”
The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff, claimed at least 260 lives, including 19 people on the ground. According to the preliminary investigation report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the aircraft was airborne for only about 30 seconds.
The report revealed that both fuel control switches for Engine 1 and Engine 2 moved from the ‘run’ to the ‘cutoff’ position just before the aircraft began losing altitude. This action cut off fuel supply to the engines, and although the switches were soon moved back to the ‘run’ position, the engines could not regain power in time to prevent the crash.
The report also noted a conversation between the two pilots in the cockpit, where one asked the other if he had changed the fuel switch position, and the other denied doing so. However, the AAIB has not yet determined how the switches moved and has not concluded what caused the accident. The agency criticised what it called “unverified and selective reporting”, saying such coverage could mislead the public and disrupt the ongoing investigation.
The Federation of Indian Pilots has appealed to the media to wait for the final investigation findings before making any assumptions or drawing conclusions. “This is not the time to create public anxiety or angst towards the safety of the Indian Aviation Industry, particularly on the basis of unfounded facts,” the FIP stated.
Echoing similar concerns, the head of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy, also advised caution. In a public statement, she said, “Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time.”
The FIP has further urged all media outlets to refrain from attributing blame, especially to deceased individuals, until the investigation is officially concluded. The federation maintained that speculative reporting at this stage may not only damage reputations but also lower the morale of pilots across the country, who continue to operate under pressure and public scrutiny.
