New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has informed the Supreme Court that its final report on the Air India AI 171 crash will be submitted in October, marking a significant step in the investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. The update came during hearings on petitions seeking a court monitored investigation into the June 12, 2025 crash that claimed 260 lives.
The AAIB told the court that the inquiry is a comprehensive investigation and not an exercise limited to officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It said experts and officials from countries whose citizens were among those killed are also participating in the investigation, ensuring an independent and technically detailed examination of the accident.
The petitions were filed by the father of Captain Sumit Sabharwal and the Federation of Indian Pilots, both of whom have raised concerns over the ongoing investigation and sought judicial oversight. During the hearing, the investigation team explained that extensive simulations, forensic studies, and technical analysis are being carried out to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the crash.
The government informed the court that several aircraft components had to be sent overseas for specialised forensic examination before being returned to India, which extended the timeline for completing the investigation. The Supreme Court has now directed that the final report be submitted in October and scheduled the next hearing for the last week of the month.
Air India flight AI 171 was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick when it crashed just seconds after take off on June 12, 2025. The accident killed all 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers on board. The aircraft also struck the hostel of a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing 19 people on the ground. Only one passenger survived the crash.
A preliminary investigation found that both engine fuel control switches moved from the “RUN” position to “CUTOFF” moments before the aircraft went down. The report also referred to a cockpit conversation in which one pilot questioned why the switches had been cut off while the other denied doing so. However, investigators did not determine what caused the switches to move and stopped short of assigning responsibility to any individual.
