Pilots seek clarity over crash probe, say speculation impacting morale

The cockpit exchange between the captain and first officer of Air India Flight 171 seconds before it crashed on June 12, a Wall Street Journal report on who said what during that exchange, and speculation over the reason the two fuel switches were at the cut-off position are playing on the minds of pilots and cabin crew of commercial airlines in India.

- AJINKYA KAWALE & AASHISH ARYAN

While the director-general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has emphasised that the speculation in foreign media over the cause of the crash was "unfounded" and "premature", several airline executives Business Standard spoke to said such media reports had added to the confusion in their ranks. Subsequent clarifications following such reports had done little to put them at ease, they said.

A first officer who flies with Air India said there was lack of communication from the airline on the development following the release of the preliminary investigation report.

"We, too, have been following media reports to know the latest (on the investigation). Though things have slowly started to return to normal as far as work is concerned, everyone here is waiting to get some clarity on what exactly happened," the pilot said, asking not to be named.