More than two-and-a-half months after the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, grieving families are still searching for answers. The preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has raised more questions than it answered. While it pointed to fuel supply disruptions in both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the report offered no final conclusion. However, it left many feeling that the narrative tilted unfairly toward pilot actions.
Now, U.S.-based aviation lawyer Mike Andrews of the Beasley Allen Law Firm has stepped in to represent more than 100 families. Drawing on his vast experience, including major lawsuits against Boeing after the 737 MAX crashes, Andrews insists the preliminary findings unfairly emphasize the pilots’ role. He argues that evidence points to deeper systemic and mechanical issues.
Here are 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed—a breakdown of why the truth is more complicated than what initial speculation suggests.
1. Preliminary Report Is Incomplete and Misleading
The AAIB’s July 12 report revealed that both engines lost fuel supply, leaving the pilots confused and unable to respond. Yet, it stopped short of identifying what caused the disruption. According to Andrews, the report is incomplete and taken out of context.
The lawyer argues that such vague information, especially about fuel switch positions, is not helpful. Presented without context, it risks wrongly shifting attention toward the pilots. By highlighting pilot actions without equal focus on potential aircraft design flaws, electrical system issues, or maintenance failures, the report misleads the public.
This is the first of the 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed—an investigation should not imply human error without presenting comprehensive evidence.
2. Aircraft Systems May Hold the Real Answers
Andrews points out that multiple reports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have flagged issues with the 787 Dreamliner’s systems, including electrical faults. Such defects could easily have contributed to the sudden dual engine fuel cut-off.
Without analyzing whether a short circuit, faulty sensor, or electrical failure occurred, focusing on the pilots alone is unjust. The lawyer stresses that product liability and defect-based claims are very much on the table once full flight data is reviewed.
This forms the second of the 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed—a complex aircraft like the 787 should be investigated thoroughly before casting doubt on the crew.
3. Families Demand Transparency and Fairness
Andrews has spoken to grieving families from both India and abroad. Their demands are simple yet powerful: transparency, disclosure, and accountability.
They are not asking for blame to be shifted away from the pilots; they only want the truth to come out so similar tragedies never happen again. Andrews emphasizes that families recognize the long investigation process but resent speculation that makes pilots appear culpable without hard proof.
Thus, the third of the 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed is that affected families themselves feel the narrative is unfairly shaped. They deserve clarity, not scapegoating.
4. Lessons from Past Boeing Cases
Andrews previously represented families in lawsuits related to the Boeing 737 MAX disasters, which killed 346 people between 2018 and 2019. In those cases, Boeing was found to have concealed flaws in its MCAS software, eventually paying billions in compensation and implementing design changes.
The lawyer draws parallels here. Just as the MAX crashes revealed systemic manufacturer responsibility, Air India’s tragedy may also highlight issues beyond pilot control. Litigation often exposes more than internal crash reports, because regulatory agencies and manufacturers may not self-police effectively.
This is why the fourth of the 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed lies in historical precedent: pilots were not at fault in earlier cases, and premature blame risks repeating mistakes of the past.
5. Rushed Conclusions Undermine Trust
Finally, Andrews believes that releasing fragmented details fuels speculation and misleads the public. For example, stating that switches may have changed positions leaves room for assumptions about pilot error without explaining whether such changes were automatic, forced by system failure, or misinterpreted by investigators.
He emphasizes that the flight data recorder and maintenance records hold the real answers. Until that evidence is fully analyzed, no blame should be implied. Andrews insists it is better for the AAIB to take time and deliver a methodical, evidence-based report than to provide premature snippets.
This final point completes the 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed—trust in aviation safety investigations depends on thoroughness, not conjecture.
Families’ Anguish and Search for Justice
The tragedy claimed 241 lives on board and 19 on the ground, with only one survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh. Andrews has visited the crash site, attended memorials, and met grieving relatives. He describes the families’ pain as a mix of sorrow, anger, and determination to uncover the truth.
Some families fear authorities are protecting Boeing or other entities. While Andrews does not speculate on hidden motives, he insists the investigation must remain independent and transparent.
He also highlights that families approached his firm largely by word of mouth, desperate for answers. Importantly, his firm is handling the case gratis at the initial stage, ensuring that families are not burdened with costs while searching for accountability.
Why Full Disclosure Matters
Andrews stresses that litigation is not just about compensation but also about changing industry behavior. If the investigation reveals maintenance oversights, design defects, or negligence, accountability could prevent future crashes.
This case is not only about grieving families—it is about restoring global faith in aviation safety. To achieve that, pilots must not be unfairly cast as villains when systemic failures could be responsible.
Looking Ahead
The final crash report may take a year or longer, given the voluminous data from the flight recorder. Andrews welcomes the slow and careful process, as long as the results are thorough and transparent. His team has already filed Freedom of Information Act requests in the U.S., hoping to access shared data with the FAA and NTSB for independent review.
Until then, he urges patience but warns against drawing early conclusions that tarnish pilots’ reputations. For him and the families, justice means truth, accountability, and reforms to ensure such a disaster never happens again.
Conclusion
The Ahmedabad crash of Air India Flight 171 is a tragedy that demands careful investigation. Yet the preliminary report risks painting pilots in an unfair light by emphasizing their actions without presenting context or evidence.
Attorney Mike Andrews lays out 5 Strong Reasons Lawyer Says Air India Pilots Were Unfairly Blamed—from incomplete reports and overlooked system flaws to families’ demand for fairness, lessons from Boeing’s past, and the dangers of rushed conclusions.
Until a complete, evidence-based report emerges, the world must withhold judgment. After all, the real mission is not to assign premature blame, but to ensure that tragedies like Flight 171 never happen again.