The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has flagged the initial report of the Air India AI-171 crash and suggested that the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) may not be related to the fuel outage.
In a letter to the Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, the pilots’ authority said simulator testing on the Boeing 787 did not support the timeline in the AAIB’s initial report.
The pilots body indicated a relationship between the movement of the fuel control switch and the deployment of the RAT, suggesting that the latter may have been caused by an electrical malfunction or other existing problem. She added that the deployment of the RAT may have occurred before the fuel switch movement.
“While the report indicates that RAT power is generated approximately 4 to 5 seconds after fuel cutoff, simulation testing reportedly indicates approximately 18 seconds. Thus, the letter indicates that RAT deployment may have occurred prior to the movement of the fuel control switch and may indicate a prior system or electrical fault that requires further investigation,” the letter stated.
(With inputs from Neha L.M. Tripathi)
