In brief
On the first anniversary of the Air India Boeing 787 crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) announced that the probe remains active but has not set a completion date. Preliminary findings blamed a sudden fuel‑control switch malfunction, while post‑release recordings raise questions about the senior pilot’s role. Amid media scrutiny, pilot associations denounced allegations of sabotage, and the investigation remains mired in controversy as officials aim to deliver a definitive report.
In a somber reminder that aviation accidents can take years to resolve, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has confirmed that the probe into Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner that crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025, remains open. The bureau, speaking on the first anniversary of the tragedy, noted “significant progress” in analysing flight‑recorders, engine systems, maintenance logs, and operational records, yet did not set a date for a final report.
On 12 July 2025 a preliminary report surfaced: just seconds after departure the aircraft’s fuel‑control switches were found to have moved to a “cut‑off” position, instantly starving engines of fuel and eliminating power. A cockpit audio clip recorded one pilot demanding the other “why did you do that?” while the second pilot retorted that “I didn’t.” The identities of the pilots were not disclosed.
The following week, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters leaked new details that suggested the senior pilot—captain Sabharwal—might have been responsible for pulling the fuel‑cut switches. Media coverage sparked a backlash from India’s aviation community, with pilot unions challenging the allegations and the AAIB countering that it was too early to ascribe blame.
To date, the AAIB has not offered a timeline for finalisation. In the meantime, investigators continue to sift through data, hoping to resolve whether the crash was an unavoidable mishap or a deliberate act.
Image: The crash site near Ahmedabad – photo by EPA
