- The probe body will submit its final report on the Air India Ahmedabad crash by October
- The investigation includes international experts, not just Directorate General of Civil Aviation officials
- Petitions demand a court-monitored probe citing discrepancies in the current investigation
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has told the Supreme Court that its final report into the Air India Ahmedabad crash will be submitted in October this year. The disclosure came during a hearing on petitions demanding a court-monitored probe into the June 12, 2025 crash, which killed 260 people.
The government-run probe body clarified before the Bench that the investigation is not an "in-house" exercise limited to officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It also includes experts and officials from countries whose citizens were among those killed in the crash.
The petitions were filed by the father of Captain Sumit Sabharwal and the Federation of Indian Pilots. Both have sought a court-monitored investigation, alleging discrepancies in the ongoing probe.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard arguments from the petitioners as well as the AAIB.
Officials told the court that the investigation involves simulations and technical analysis to help reconstruct the sequence of events and determine what caused the crash.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the AAIB, assured the court that the final report would be submitted in a sealed cover by October.
The probe body had earlier indicated that its report would be ready by January. Explaining the delay, Mehta told the court that several aircraft components had to be sent abroad for specialised forensic and technical examination before being returned to India, which made the process time-consuming.
The Supreme Court has directed that the final AAIB report be submitted in October and has listed the matter for the last week of that month.
Air India flight AI-171, travelling from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed seconds after take-off on the afternoon of June 12, 2025. All 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers on board died. The aircraft crashed into the hostel of a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing 19 people on the ground. Only one passenger survived the crash.
An initial probe found that seconds before the crash, both engine fuel control switches moved from the "RUN" position to "CUTOFF". A month later, the AAIB published a preliminary report on the possible cause of the tragedy.
The report referred to a cockpit conversation between Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. According to the report, the cockpit audio recorded one pilot asking, "Why did you cut off?" with the other replying, "I didn't." This exchange fuelled speculation that pilot error may have contributed to the crash.
However, the report did not explain what caused the switches to move, and it did not assign blame to any individual.
