AAIB Issues Interim Report on Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Requests People to Refrain from Speculations

NEW DELHI, June 12: The evidence gathered in the investigation into Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad on this day last year is currently undergoing comprehensive analysis, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in an interim statement on Friday.

The final report would be released only after all investigative work has been completed and the required international review and consultation processes have been concluded, it added. “The evidence gathered and the results of various examinations are currently being analyzed in a comprehensive and integrated manner,” the AAIB said in a press statement.

It reiterated that the investigation into the crash was being conducted in accordance with the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Rules, 2017, and the standards prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The bureau has appealed to the media and the public to refrain from drawing conclusions or engaging in speculation until the final investigation report is released.

In an official statement, the AAIB said the probe remained focused on establishing facts and identifying safety lessons that can help prevent similar incidents in the future. The bureau emphasized that the purpose of an accident investigation was not to assign blame but to strengthen aviation safety through evidence-based findings and recommendations.

The AAIB noted that a preliminary investigation report into the AI171 accident was released on July 12, 2025. Since then, investigators have continued an extensive examination of all aspects connected to the incident. In the last one year, the investigation team has carried out a detailed review of technical, operational, organizational and human factors that may have contributed to the accident. Officials said every possible angle was being examined to ensure that the final report presented a complete and accurate picture of the events leading up to the crash.

According to the bureau, the investigation has involved collaboration with aviation experts, technical advisors and representatives from relevant organizations. Several critical pieces of evidence have undergone detailed scrutiny. Investigators have thoroughly analyzed aircraft systems, flight recorder data, engine components, maintenance records and other material evidence linked to the accident. The findings gathered so far were currently being subjected to comprehensive evaluation and cross-verification. The AAIB added that additional technical tests and specialized examinations may be carried out wherever necessary as part of the ongoing investigation process.

Reaffirming its commitment to professional standards, the bureau stated that the investigation was being conducted independently, impartially and strictly on the basis of factual evidence. The final investigation report will be released only after all mandatory investigative procedures were completed and the required international review mechanisms have been concluded. Officials said this process was essential to ensure the credibility and accuracy of the final findings.

Separately, the Minister for Civil Aviation said in a post on X that the government was committed “to a thorough and objective determination of the causes of the accident.” “Significant progress has been made in the examination and analysis of aircraft systems, flight recorder data, engine-related components, maintenance and operational records, and other evidence relevant to the investigation,” according to the statement.

The probe has been assisted by accredited representatives, technical experts and specialists from the organizations involved. The UN aviation safety watchdog’s Annex 13 on Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation says that States must bring out a final report as soon as possible, and if possible, within 12 months, otherwise they must publish an interim statement on each anniversary of the occurrence.

A preliminary investigation report into the AI-171 crash found that the aircraft’s fuel control switches had moved to the cut-off position, interrupting fuel supply to the engines moments before the crash. While the report stopped short of determining whether the switch movement was the result of a deliberate action or inadvertently done or a technical malfunction, it included a brief cockpit exchange between the plane’s two pilots that has triggered widespread speculation on the cause of the accident.

The Pilot associations have condemned the inclusion of the excerpt, arguing that it has contributed to the building of a narrative around pilot involvement before the investigation reached a definitive conclusion. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), along with Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of the flight’s commander, Sumeet Sabharwal, have approached the Supreme Court, seeking an independent, judicially monitored investigation into the crash.

(Rohit Kumar)