The Airline Pilots’ Association of India expressed concerns on Saturday regarding the preliminary report issued by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) concerning the Air India plane crash that occurred on June 12. They argue that the report implies a bias towards attributing fault to pilot error.

“The tone and direction of the investigation indicate a bias towards pilot error. We firmly reject this assumption and call for a fair, evidence-based inquiry,” stated the pilots’ association in a media release.

The association criticized the lack of transparency in the investigation, voicing concerns over the preliminary report’s release to the media, which they claim was “leaked” without any official endorsement.

They also highlighted the absence of experienced personnel, particularly line pilots, from the investigation team.

“The report was disseminated to the media without any responsible official signature or attribution. There is a significant lack of transparency in these investigations, which remain cloaked in secrecy, eroding credibility and public trust. Qualified, experienced personnel, especially line pilots, are still not being included in the investigation team,” the statement emphasized.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol urged caution on Saturday, advising against drawing conclusions based on the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the Air India flight AI171 crash.

In comments to the media, MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol remarked, “The AAIB has issued a preliminary report. This is not the final report. We should refrain from making any conclusions until the final report is published. The AAIB operates as an autonomous body, and the ministry does not interfere in their processes.”