Reading Comprehension from The Hindu: (The Aircraft Accident) : The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s preliminary report on the Air India Boeing 787 air crash in Ahmedabad, on June 12, 2025, was released last week, on July 12.
The report remains inconclusive, with critical uncertainties on whether pilot action was inadvertent or deliberate. I would argue that the lack of faith among pilots and those who track aviation like myself about the robustness of the investigation and its findings, — whether correct or not — emanate from a deep lack of trust in the entire aviation system in India that often penalises its personnel, excessively, rather than holding airlines and regulators to equal scrutiny.
I would like to use this opportunity to, once again, call for a complete reform in the aviation sector.
A genuine ‘culture of safety’ must permeate every layer of the aviation system. This includes fair employment terms and, crucially, access to mental health care without punitive consequences resulting in the automatic grounding of and loss of income for air crew at a time when the current system, ironically, jeopardises their psychological well-being.
The complex web of aviation safety is highly technical, but years of study with aviation professionals have helped me understand its intricate technicalities. The aviation system broadly involves multiple elements: the aircraft itself (design, airworthiness, and maintenance) and the people who operate it (maintenance engineers, technicians, pilots and cabin crew). These are, broadly, the responsibility of the airline operator, while airport infrastructure, air traffic control systems and its personnel are the responsibility of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and/or the aerodrome operator.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has regulatory control over airlines, the AAI and the airport operators. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has supervisory control over the DGCA and the AAI. Aviation accidents never result from a single failure but stem from multiple failures that align together, as in the Swiss cheese model. Each safety layer has flaws (holes); when these holes align across layers, an accident occurs.
The fight for safety through courts
I have filed over 15 Public Interest Litigations (PIL) in the various High Courts and the Supreme Court of India after studying the links between aviation technicalities, regulations and data. I approached the judiciary because aviation authorities in charge of safety, became the violators.
No one is held accountable for air crashes or the lives lost, in turn emboldening violations despite knowing that existing/known safety breaches can cause deaths.
Court interventions have saved lives, as seen in the case of the crash in 2018 at Ghatkopar, Mumbai, when a small plane fell into a building site. In 2016, the Bombay High Court had issued a stay that halted construction near Mumbai airport. Had it not been issued, a 13-storey building would have stood in its place at the site..
Mumbai’s airspace is among the most hazardous globally — there are over 5,000 vertical obstructions within a four-kilometre radius and in violation of the Inner Horizontal Surface (IHS) criteria. Despite a pending PIL, obstacles in the no-obstacle approach and take-off funnel rose from 125 in 2010 to over 1,000 in 2025.
Reading Comprehension from The Hindu: (The Aircraft Accident) questions and answers
Q1) What is the main concern highlighted by the author regarding the Air India crash report released in July 2025?
(a) The report was too technical for the public to understand
(b) The report clearly blamed pilot error
(c) The report lacked clarity on whether the pilot’s action was deliberate or not
(d) The report praised India’s aviation safety system
Q2) According to the author, why is there a lack of trust in India’s aviation system?
(a) Due to frequent aircraft malfunctions
(b) Because of poor training of air crew
(c) Because India uses outdated aircraft
(d) Because personnel are penalized more than airlines and regulators
Q3) What reform does the author strongly advocate for in the aviation sector?
(a) A ban on low-cost airlines
(b) Privatization of airports
(c) A genuine ‘culture of safety’ across all layers
(d) Reduced salary for pilots
Q4) What does the “Swiss cheese model” mentioned in the passage imply?
(a)Accidents happen when multiple system failures align
(b) All aircraft are inherently unsafe
(c) Accidents are caused by a single mistake
(d) Pilots are the only ones responsible for errors
Q5) Why did the author approach courts through PILs?
(a) To demand better salaries for pilots
(b) Because courts have the power to ban certain aircraft
(c) Because aviation authorities violated safety regulations
(d) To privatize the DGCA
Q6) What was the role of the Bombay High Court’s stay order in the 2018 Mumbai crash incident?
(a) It allowed a 13-storey building to be constructed
(b) It prevented potential obstruction near the crash site
(c) It fined the aviation authority
(d) It cleared the pilot of all blame
Q7) What alarming fact about Mumbai’s airspace does the passage reveal?
(a) It has the best safety record globally
(b) It lacks any vertical obstructions
(c) Over 1,000 obstructions violate safety norms in 2025
(d) It has no air traffic control
Correct Answers and Explanations : Reading Comprehension from The Hindu: (The Aircraft Accident)
Q1 – Correct: (c)
Explanation: The report is described as “inconclusive” with “critical uncertainties” about whether the pilot’s actions were deliberate or not.
Q2 – Correct: (d)
Explanation: The author criticizes the system for punishing aircrew while not scrutinizing airlines or regulators equally.
Q3 – Correct: (c)
Explanation: The author calls for a genuine culture of safety that includes fair employment terms and mental health care access without punishment.
Q4 – Correct: (a)
Explanation: The “Swiss cheese model” explains that accidents occur when flaws in multiple safety layers align.
Q5 – Correct: (c)
Explanation: The author filed PILs because the safety authorities became violators and were not held accountable.
Q6 – Correct: (b)
Explanation: The High Court’s stay prevented a 13-storey building, which would have worsened the crash impact at that site.
Q7 – Correct: (c)
Explanation: The number of vertical obstructions near Mumbai airport increased drastically from 125 in 2010 to over 1,000 in 2025, violating safety norms.
Fill in the Blanks : Reading Comprehension from The Hindu: (The Aircraft Accident)
Q1) She ______ going to the airport when the news of the crash broke.
(a) was
(b) is
(c) are
(d) be
Q2) The report has been released, but it ______ conclusive.
(a) was
(b) is not
(c) are
(d) were
Q3) The pilots were not responsible ______ the technical failure.
(a) of
(b) with
(c) for
(d) from
Q4) He has filed more ______ 15 PILs in the courts.
(a) then
(b) than
(c) of
(d) as
Q5) A stay order was issued by the court ______ 2016.
(a) on
(b) at
(c) in
(d) from
Q6) The system should promote safety rather ______ punishment.
(a) then
(b) than
(c) to
(d) of
Q7) No one ______ held accountable after the crash.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) were
(d) are
Q8) Each layer of safety ______ its own weaknesses.
(a) have
(b) having
(c) had
(d) has
Answer Key for Fill in the Blanks : Reading Comprehension from The Hindu: (The Aircraft Accident)
Q1 – (a) was
Q2 – (b) is not
Q3 – (c) for
Q4 – (b) than
Q5 – (c) in
Q6 – (b) than
Q7 – (b) was
Q8 – (d) has
Vocabulary with Synonyms & Antonyms
1. Inconclusive
Meaning: Not leading to a definite decision or result
Synonyms: Uncertain, Indeterminate, Unsettled, Ambiguous
Antonyms: Conclusive, Definite, Decisive, Certain
2. Robust
Meaning: Strong and effective in performance or structure
Synonyms: Strong, Sturdy, Resilient, Vigorous
Antonyms: Weak, Fragile, Delicate, Feeble
3. Reform
Meaning: To improve by making changes
Synonyms: Improve, Amend, Revise, Transform
Antonyms: Worsen, Deteriorate, Corrupt, Degrade
4. Punitive
Meaning: Intended as punishment
Synonyms: Penalizing, Disciplinary, Retaliatory
Antonyms: Rewarding, Encouraging, Lenient, Merciful
5. Jeopardize
Meaning: To put something in danger
Synonyms: Endanger, Threaten, Risk, Compromise
Antonyms: Protect, Safeguard, Secure, Shield
6. Accountability
Meaning: Responsibility to justify actions or decisions
Synonyms: Responsibility, Answerability, Liability
Antonyms: Irresponsibility, Exemption, Immunity
7. Intricate
Meaning: Very detailed and complex
Synonyms: Complex, Complicated, Detailed, Elaborate
Antonyms: Simple, Clear, Straightforward, Plain
8. Violation
Meaning: The act of breaking a rule or law
Synonyms: Breach, Infraction, Transgression, Offense
Antonyms: Obedience, Compliance, Respect, Conformity