A cockpit voice recorder transcript from last month’s Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash is raising fresh questions about the captain’s split-second decisions. According to a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday, the recording reveals the captain switched the fuel control levers to the "cutoff" position shortly after lifting off the runway.
In the critical moments after takeoff, First Officer Clive Kunder—who was piloting the aircraft—can be heard asking Captain Sumeet Sabharwal why he moved the switches. Kunder’s surprise quickly turned to panic, while Sabharwal, with 15,638 flight hours under his belt, appeared to remain calm.
Investigators note that Kunder had logged 3,403 hours of flying experience prior to the incident, underscoring how unexpected cockpit maneuvers can heighten stress levels, even for trained professionals.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Boeing and Air India have all declined to comment as the probe continues. Early assessments suggest human factors and cockpit resource management are now at the center of the inquiry.
As teams analyze cockpit recordings and flight data, the aviation community is watching closely. These early findings could prompt updates to training protocols and safety checks, shaping the future of airline operations worldwide.
Reference(s):
Details in Indian aircrash probe shift focus to captain, WSJ reports
cgtn.com
