In brief
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has informed the Supreme Court that the draft final report on the Air India Flight AI-171 crash will be ready in October. The report follows a six‑week analysis phase, after the crash last year killed 260 people, including 241 passengers. While the preliminary report stayed silent on pilot blame, it highlighted sudden fuel‑control switch failure. Investigators are still working through 49 of 66 required steps, having conducted psychological autopsies and compiled cockpit voice transcripts. The final report will likely include details on human factors and organisational culture which could clarify the incident’s cause.
The Investigations Bureau Says Final Air India Crash Report Could Arrive in October.
The Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) told the Supreme Court, in an affidavit filed on Tuesday, that the draft final report on the Air India flight AI‑171 crash, which occurred last June and killed 260 people, is expected to be ready in October. The report follows a six‑week analysis phase, with the bureau stating it has completed 49 of the 66 mandated steps to investigate a serious aircraft accident.
The crash took place on 12 June 2025 when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London, plunged seconds after take‑off from Ahmedabad airport. The plane crashed into a medical college building used by doctors, killing 241 passengers on board and 19 people on the ground. Only one passenger survived.
The AAIB’s preliminary report, released in July, attributed the sudden loss of engine power to the fuel‑control switches abruptly moving to the ‘cut‑off’ position – a fact corroborated by cockpit voice recordings. Those recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the switch had moved; the other replied that he had not. The crew identities involved remain vague.
Investigators have also compiled a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder, reviewed crew medical and training histories, and conducted a psychological autopsy on crew members to assess human factors. The draft report will combine these findings with a review of organisational culture and safety practices.
The affidavit did not specify when the final report will be published or disclose further details about the crash’s cause. However, it points to ‘significant progress’ in the analysis phase and warns that media speculation has caused witnesses to become restrictive.
Stakeholders, including pilots’ associations and the bureau, have criticised press coverage that implicated the senior pilot, Capt Sumeet Sabharwal, in early reports. The court’s affidavit also responded to a lawsuit by Sabharwal’s father, who sought an independent investigation.
