Air India crash probe looks to pilot’s post-bereavement mental health | World | News
Accident inspectors investigating the tragic Air India disaster in Ahmedabad examine the medical records of the captain Sumeet Sabharwal in their allegations that he suffers from depression and other mental health problems. Telegraph reports.
The 56 -year -old pilot, who died in the accident, increased more than 15,000 hours of flight experience and was only months of retirement. However, Telegraph learned that in 2022, after his mother’s death, he was thinking of quitting his airline early to look at his old father.
The latest grade medical examination took place last year on September 5. The results of the researchers are now examined as a part of an investigation that shifts the focus of technical mistakes to the actions of the cockpit team.
The Indian Airline Pilots Association expressed objections to the “tone and direction of the investigation in the aviation community, which led to violent discussions.
Captain Mohanathan, a respected aviation safety expert in India, told Telegraph: “I heard from a few Air India pilots who told me that he had some depression and mental health problems. He had taken time to fly in the last three to four years. He had received medical permission for this.”
It is understood that Captain Sabharwal received mourning leave after his mother passed. Mr. Ranganathan added: “It must be medically cleaned by the company [Air India] Doctors. They must have given a permit certificate. “
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner hit a medical student hostel shortly after the departure last month and killed them all, except one of the 242 people on board.
A preliminary report published by Indian officials on Saturday showed that the switches that control the fuel flow to the engines of the aircraft were closed and caused a disaster loss during the attempt.
The cockpit sound recording was recovered from the debris, one pilot asks the other why the fuel was cut. The other answers that he does not do it. It remains unclear who says what.
Attention has now returned to the roles of Captain Sabharwal and the First Officer Clive Kundar. According to the procedures, the first officer was flying the plane and there was take -off control. As a monitoring pilot, Captain Sabharwal’s hands would not have controls and left him in a potential position to reach the fuel switches.
Captain Sabharwal joined Air India in 1994 and maintained more than 8,000 flights at Dreamliner. After losing his mother, he moved from Delhi to Mumbai to be closer to his father, even when he was considered early retirement to become a full -time caregiver.
The neighbors in Powai, Mumbai described him as a silent and selfless son who regularly accompanied his father during the evening walks. “He was a son who never missed his father’s chance to download his father for fresh air.”
Neil Pais, a former colleague, paid him tribute to him by saying, “A comprehensive gentleman.” Te Telegraph said: “In fact, he was thinking of early retirement in the next few years. His father was 90 -year -old and very old and full -time. That was the plan.
“We are all human beings. Yes, there is a crew who exhibits tendencies for mental health problems and they are immediately grounded. It is not allowed to control.
“Most of the time, it plays a role in life outside of work, of course when you show it. But if there is a concern, it is captured by the right departments by the operations. They will not allow anyone to fly if there is any doubt.”
