UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The forgotten copilot of Air India flight 171
Q1. With reference to Air India Flight AI-171 which crashed on 12 June 2025, how many seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad did the aircraft impact the ground, as documented in the AAIB Preliminary Report?
- A. Approximately 12 seconds
- B. Approximately 32 seconds
- C. Approximately 90 seconds
- D. Approximately 180 seconds
Q2. With reference to Air India Flight AI-171 and its investigation, consider the following statements:
1. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
2. The flight was operating on the Ahmedabad–London Heathrow route at the time of the accident.
3. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released its Preliminary Report in July 2025.
4. Two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders were recovered from the crash site.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
- The flight was operating on the Ahmedabad–London Heathrow route at the time of the accident.
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released its Preliminary Report in July 2025.
- Two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders were recovered from the crash site.
- A. 2 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 3 only
Q3. Which one of the following is the designated authority responsible for conducting the official investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI-171?
- A. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
- B. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)
- C. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)
- D. Airports Authority of India (AAI)
Q4. In the context of the Air India Flight AI-171 investigation, the term 'EAFR' refers to which one of the following?
- A. Emergency Aircraft Fuel Regulator — a device that throttles fuel flow during engine fire warnings
- B. Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder — a combined cockpit voice and flight data recorder unit
- C. Engine Airworthiness and Fitness Register — a maintenance log mandated by the DGCA
- D. External Aviation Forensic Recorder — a ground-based telemetry receiver operated by ATC
Q5. With reference to the Air India Flight AI-171 investigation, consider the following statements:
1. The US National Transportation Safety Board participates as an accredited representative.
2. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch participates as an accredited representative.
3. The AAIB Preliminary Report records that both engine fuel control switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF within one second of each other.
4. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed only after the fuel control switches had been moved to the CUTOFF position.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The US National Transportation Safety Board participates as an accredited representative.
- The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch participates as an accredited representative.
- The AAIB Preliminary Report records that both engine fuel control switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF within one second of each other.
- The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed only after the fuel control switches had been moved to the CUTOFF position.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4