Following the tragic June 12 Air India Flight 171 crash—which claimed at least 260 lives—the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has initiated legal action against The Wall Street Journal and Reuters. According to a news portal, the pilots’ body has objected to recent reports by the two media outlets that suggested pilot error or cockpit confusion as the cause of the crash.
In a formal legal notice, the FIP accused both organisations of “selective and unverified reporting,” alleging that the coverage wrongly attributed the crash to pilot error without substantiated evidence. The pilots’ body demanded an official apology, calling the reports “irresponsible”, especially as the investigation is still underway.
“We are instructed to place on record that 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. In doing so, Reuters has also inflicted unnecessary distress on the bereaved families, and diminished the morale of the pilot fraternity, which operates under immense pressure and public responsibility,” the legal notice, cited by the news portal, said.
The FIP emphasised that in the absence of a final investigation report, media organisations must refrain from speculating or assigning blame—particularly to deceased individuals. “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 federation was quoted as saying in the notice.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) echoed this sentiment, pushing back against what it described as “unverified and selective reporting” regarding a pilot’s alleged role in the crash. The bureau noted: “While an accident of this dimension has drawn public attention and shock, it needs to be appreciated that this is not the time to create public anxiety or angst regarding the safety of the Indian aviation industry, particularly on the basis of unfounded facts.”
The preliminary findings from the AAIB revealed that the flight lasted around 30 seconds from takeoff to impact. The report stated that after reaching maximum recorded speed, both Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel control switches moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position within the span of a second—cutting off fuel supply to both engines.
It also cited a cockpit exchange between the pilots: one asked the other if he had moved the fuel switches, and the second pilot responded that he had not. Although the switches were returned to the “run” position shortly afterward, the aircraft could not regain power in time to halt its descent, according to the report. The AAIB did not clarify how the switches had shifted positions mid-flight.
In response to the international media coverage, the FIP urged that “the media desist from publishing or circulating any content that speculates on the cause of the crash or attributes fault to any individuals, especially deceased pilots, in the absence of official confirmation and final report.”
Reinforcing the call for restraint, the head of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy, also advised caution in reporting on the ongoing probe. In a 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.”
Also Read: NTSB Chief Slams ‘Irresponsible’ Media Speculation In Air India Crash Probe https://www.vibesofindia.com/ntsb-chief-slams-irresponsible-media-speculation-in-air-india-crash-probe/
