Air India Crash Investigation Still In Progress, Officials Say
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has confirmed that it is not yet ready to release the final report on Flight AI171, the Boeing 787-8 that crashed minutes after take‑off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on 12 June 2025. The tragedy, which killed 241 passengers and crew, left 19 people on the ground dead and awarded one survivor on the flight.
On the first anniversary of the accident, the AAIB issued an update noting that “significant progress” had been made in the analysis of aircraft systems, flight‑recorder data, engines, maintenance and operational records. However, the agency stressed that the data were still under comprehensive review and that the final report would only be issued after all investigative activities were completed and the requisite international consultations were finished.
Closing the investigation is a key requirement of international aviation rules; the AAIB announced that its failure to provide a conclusive final report in time had sparked doubt among the public. In May, India’s civil aviation minister hinted that investigations were in a “last stage” and that the report might be released after a month.
The Cause: Fuel‑Control Switches and Pilot Dialogue
A preliminary report released on 12 July 2024 found that only a few seconds after take‑off, the fuel‑control switches abruptly moved to the “cut‑off” position, depriving the engines of fuel and leading to a complete loss of power. Audio recordings from the cockpit captured one pilot asking the other why he had done it, with the other replying that he had not; the identities of the speakers remain undisclosed.
In the weeks following the preliminary release, attention turned towards the senior pilot, Capt Sumeet Sabharwal. Reports from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters suggested that a cockpit recording implied the captain intentionally cut the fuel flow to the engines. Such claims prompted a backlash from pilots’ associations in India, who criticised the coverage and rejected allegations that the senior pilot caused the crash. The AAIB remains unsubstantiated in its findings.
Stakeholder Reactions and Calls for Delayed Publication
Sabharwal’s father recently told the BBC that he is determined to defend his son’s reputation in light of the allegations. “Every time an accident occurs, the pilot is blamed,” a 90‑year‑old relative told reporters. “It is the simplest way to close the chapter, but the pilot is no more and cannot defend himself,” he added.
The AAIB’s statement emphasized that the sole purpose of the investigation is to enhance aviation safety by identifying lessons and safety recommendations, rather than assigning blame or liability. While the investigative process continues, the AAIB assures the public and investigators that every aspect of the accident is being examined with utmost care and diligence.
