Three weeks after the fatal Air India crash that killed 241 passengers and crew, and over 30 others on the ground, critical questions on what caused the crash still remain unanswered. The black box data, which could hold key clues about what went wrong, is also still being analysed.
To understand where the investigation stands and why this is a crucial window for aviation authorities, this reporter spoke to Captain Mohan Ranganathan, who is an aviation safety expert and former instructor pilot with SpiceJet.
In the interview, Captain Ranganathan flagged the "red flags" in the investigation so far, explained the importance of black box data and a transparent investigation, and questioned the lack of accountability in India’s aviation sector.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
You've long flagged serious lapses in how Indian aviation investigations are conducted. What's your initial assessment of how the Air India crash probe has been handled so far?
Nothing has changed from the kind of pathetic investigation we've been having over the years. The first thing that was violated was on the day of the crash itself when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed the names of the captain and the co-pilot, which is never done. If you see worldwide, you will not see the names, even in the final report.
Secondly, the thing that you have to do immediately is to sanitise the area where the crash took place. Nobody should be allowed anywhere near. But from the first minute, you had television crews, media, and people taking selfies. You made a joke of that.
Why are the two black boxes so critical? What is the timeline that is usually followed for releasing the data that is analysed, and what is the timeline that we can realistically expect in this case?
The voice recorder is usually released very, very fast. But the second black box, the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), is all in codes. It is a software which has to be analysed to identify what each code is to give a number which is readable. After that they also put it in graphic form. It requires expert analysis but generally with a good lab and good investigators, they will have the DFDR readouts analysed in two weeks. So that is why they say that the preliminary report should be available for you in 30 days.
But if you go by the track record of any accident in India, it takes years. Or they will appoint a committee with people who know nothing about the aircraft, nothing about civil aviation. Don't think that just because they appoint an Air Marshal or a Group Captain, you're gonna get the facts, because they don't know how these aircraft function and how the system works.
Why are there delays now? The person who downloads the voice recording will know what is in it, but he will not be permitted to release it. It'll be sent to the DGCA, who will in turn take it to the ministry. A joint secretary or a deputy secretary will decide what can be released, and what cannot be. I've seen that for the last 25 years. Until they are satisfied that there's nothing incriminating against them, they're not going to release anything.
Reports have also indicated that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is yet to appoint a lead investigator. Are you aware if this is indeed the case, and how does this affect the pace and quality of the investigation?
Well, you have to have a lead investigator who's got the spine to say what is what, but what they are looking for is a lead investigator who will write what they want him to write.
What role does the DGCA play in routine safety audits and checks? Do you believe their current oversight is adequate?
No, not at all. After every crash they'll announce fresh set of orders, fresh set of checks. But the same thing will continue, because remember that to stop an operation, the first thing they'll say is, we have to maintain connectivity. So you would rather maintain connectivity in unsafe environment. They know there is no accountability. Have you ever seen any minister or the DGCA take responsibility? Have they resigned, or been held accountable? No.
Since the crash, one of the major challenges has also been the flood of misinformation online. Much of it coming from self-proclaimed aviation experts. What kind of harm does this do to public trust and the investigation process?
The investigation process should ignore those. And the media should also ignore those because every day a guy is coming up with a new theory. He doesn't have the information. He doesn't have the DFDR. All he has are the videos, one is the CCTV video and the one which is taken from the side by somebody. How can you, sitting a couple of kilometers away, with a low resolution camera, assess what was happening there?
Can we expect the investigation to be transparent? Are India's aviation accident reports overall transparent and thorough enough?
No, not a single accident report is transparent. There is a lot of wrong information and wrong feed, you can pick holes in every page in an accident report. So if you think that things are going to change now, you have to be dreaming.
Watch the full interview.