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Preliminary report into Air India crash released

(www.bbc.co.uk)
336 points cjr | 7 comments | 11 Jul 25 20:23 UTC | HN request time: 0.927s | source | bottom
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fsckboy ◴[11 Jul 25 23:07 UTC] No.44537714[source]▶
it makes sense to me that the pilot who said "I did not do it" actually did do it without realizing it, was supposed to be putting the landing gear up when he committed a muscle memory mistake. it happened around the time the landing gear should be up, and this explanation matches what was said in the cockpit, and the fact that the landing gear wasn't retracted. I think this idea was even floated initially by the youtube pilot/analysts I watch but dismissed as unlikely.
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russdill ◴[12 Jul 25 00:04 UTC] No.44538063[source]▶
There is no possible way to confuse these two actions. There's a reason a wheel is attached to the gear lever.
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cjbprime ◴[12 Jul 25 00:53 UTC] No.44538329[source]▶
> There is no possible way to confuse these two actions.

This is obviously an overstatement. Any two regularly performed actions can be confused. Sometimes (when tired or distracted) I've walked into my bathroom intending to shave, but mistakenly brushed my teeth and left. My toothbrush and razor are not similar in function or placement.

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1. Mawr ◴[12 Jul 25 09:05 UTC] No.44540513[source]▶
That's just your brain associating the bathroom with the act of brushing your teeth, and therefore doing it automatically upon the trigger of entering the bathroom. It bears no resemblance to the accidental activation of a completely different button.

The other poster's correction: "it’s like brushing your teeth with razor" is apt. Touching the fuel cutoff switches is not part of any procedure remotely relevant to the takeoff, so there's no trigger present that would prompt the automatic behavior.

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2. cjbprime ◴[12 Jul 25 09:26 UTC] No.44540611[source]▶
Now I'm trying to remember if I've ever picked up my razor and accidentally begun tooth brushing motions with it. Probably!

More relevantly, you seem to me to be unduly confident about what this pilot's associative triggers might and might not be.

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3. bravesoul2 ◴[12 Jul 25 12:13 UTC] No.44541527[source]▶
I agree. Has anyone here unplugged their mouse instead of pressing caps lock by mistake?
4. bapak ◴[12 Jul 25 12:25 UTC] No.44541578[source]▶
Good analogy. Things I do every day in front of the mirror, but I occasionally attempt to squeeze some soap on my toothbrush. Or I have to brush my teeth and I find my beard foamed up. Or I walk out of the shower after only rinsing myself with water.
5. interestica ◴[12 Jul 25 13:00 UTC] No.44541759[source]▶
It depends on how that person internalized and learned the behaviour. We store things differently.
6. ninkendo ◴[12 Jul 25 15:55 UTC] No.44542930[source]▶
I've definitely put shaving cream on my toothbrush before.
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7. mnahkies ◴[12 Jul 25 16:59 UTC] No.44543327{3}[source]▶
Not a bathroom one, but the number of times I've tried to pay for public transport with my work/office fob is mental. Generally happens on days where I'm feeling sharper than average but also consumed with problem solving