Ahmedabad: Mike Andrews, an aviation lawyer with the US-based Beasley Allen Law Firm, became involved in the AI 171 case within a month of the crash and now represents over 160 victims. Speaking to TOI, Andrews emphasized that the legal team's focus is firmly on the technical aspects that caused the crash.
Early RAT Deployment Raises Questions
“When we look at the video and photographic evidence, even before the aircraft leaves the runway, it appears that the auxiliary power unit, the RAT (ram air turbine) device, is out and functioning before the aircraft rotates for take-off,” Andrews stated. He added, “That is important because it comes before any mention of a fuel switch transition. The RAT being out before the fuel system issue is contrary to the preliminary report timeline. So we have focused on understanding all of the symptoms we know of before take-off.”
He further remarked, “I have said from the very beginning that when we understand exactly why the RAT deployed early, we will understand what caused the crash, and I still believe that. This is a very complex system, so we have to be careful, avoid confirmation bias, and keep an open mind.”
Other Technical Symptoms Under Scrutiny
Andrews noted that they are more convinced than ever that technical issues on board caused the crash. “We have also heard reports that the transponder stopped working during taxi and later started working again. The question is whether that was a temporary fault or a sign of the system failing and being reset. We do not know that yet. We also see that the landing gear begins to retract, but then it stops. That is another important symptom. Then the fuel system has an issue, which is a big symptom. So, our focus is to understand the causes of these symptoms and where they overlap. We are looking for the common link,” he explained.
Awaiting AAIB Technical Report
Chuck Chionuma, an aviation lawyer from the US-based Chionuma Law Firm, added that they are focusing on the much-awaited technical report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) India. “The report, either interim or final, is required to be released within a year of the incident. We are hopeful of its earliest release. It will provide the much-needed technical and legal points to understand the responsibility of the parties involved,” he said, noting that it will also determine the ‘litigation venue’ for the case.
Release and Indemnity Bond Issue
Chionuma raised concerns about the ‘release and indemnity bond’ forced upon victims by the parties involved. “We have come across several such cases and we have told the families we represent not to sign it. It indemnifies the parties involved in all capacities – facts about them will only be known through a technical report,” he added.
Access to Information and Institutional Support
The lawyers also highlighted issues related to access to information and institutional support. They mentioned that in several instances, airlines often appoint a pointsman, but in this case, much more could have been done to reduce confusion and anxiety for relatives seeking information.
