UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC to hear petition seeking probe into Air India crash early

Q1. Which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry under which the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) — currently investigating the Air India Flight AI-171 crash — functions as an attached office?

  • A. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
  • B. Ministry of Civil Aviation
  • C. Ministry of Defence
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q2. In the context of the ongoing probe into the Air India AI-171 crash, the term 'ICAO Annex 13' most appropriately refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A treaty obligation that mandates compensation by airlines to next of kin of crash victims
  • B. International Standards and Recommended Practices for Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation
  • C. A multilateral protocol on extradition of aviation-safety offenders
  • D. A framework governing carriage of dangerous goods by air

Q3. With reference to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), consider the following statements: 1. Both AAIB and DGCA derive their mandate from the Aircraft Act, 1934. 2. While DGCA functions as a regulatory authority, AAIB was constituted specifically to keep accident investigation institutionally separate from the regulatory function. 3. Unlike DGCA, the AAIB derives its statutory mandate from the Carriage by Air Act, 1972. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Both AAIB and DGCA derive their mandate from the Aircraft Act, 1934.
  2. While DGCA functions as a regulatory authority, AAIB was constituted specifically to keep accident investigation institutionally separate from the regulatory function.
  3. Unlike DGCA, the AAIB derives its statutory mandate from the Carriage by Air Act, 1972.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Under which one of the following statutory provisions was the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) constituted in India?

  • A. Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 framed under the Civil Aviation Authority Act, 2020
  • B. Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2012 framed under Section 7 of the Aircraft Act, 1934
  • C. Aircraft (Accident Inquiry) Rules, 1937 framed under the Indian Aircraft Act, 1911
  • D. Aircraft Rules, 1994 framed under the Carriage by Air Act, 1972

Q5. With reference to India's accident-investigation framework under which the AI-171 crash is being probed, consider the following statements: 1. AAIB functions as an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. 2. The 2012 framework under which AAIB was set up is aligned with ICAO Annex 13. 3. AAIB is the sole authority that issues all airworthiness certificates to every civilian aircraft registered in India. 4. The bureau was constituted to provide independence of the accident-investigation function from the regulatory function. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. AAIB functions as an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
  2. The 2012 framework under which AAIB was set up is aligned with ICAO Annex 13.
  3. AAIB is the sole authority that issues all airworthiness certificates to every civilian aircraft registered in India.
  4. The bureau was constituted to provide independence of the accident-investigation function from the regulatory function.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4