US Attorney for AI171 Crash Victims Seeks Black Box Data

Attorney Andrews argues a water leak short circuit may have shut fuel controls and caused total propulsion loss—countering claims that pilot error led to the plane crash.

- AGENCIES

The lead US attorney, Mike Andrews, representing a majority of the families affected by the tragic AI171 plane crash, had filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking access to flight data recorder (FDR) information from the ill-fated flight, claiming new evidence that supports a water leak-induced short circuit theory as the cause of the crash and not pilot error.

Andrews has formally requested the FDR or black box data from relevant US authorities, arguing his available evidence increasingly suggests that a water leak from the aircraft's potable water system may have triggered an electrical short circuit, leading to critical system failures on board AI171.