Air India 171 crash report likely in 2 months
What's the story
The final report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probe into the Air India flight AI-171 crash will likely take another two months, sources tracking the investigation told India Today. The investigation, which marks its first anniversary on Friday, is said to be on track, with all findings eventually to be made public. "Nothing will be kept in the dark. All details will be brought into the public domain," a source was quoted as saying.
Investigation update
Ministry reviewing investigation progress
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been regularly reviewing the investigation's progress but has kept a distance from any internal findings, according to another cited source. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has questioned the delay in releasing the final report, asking why it is taking so long to investigate a crash that lasted only 32 seconds. C.S. Randhawa, FIP president, warned against publishing an incomplete interim report as it could add to confusion and speculation about the accident's cause.
Crash details
Preliminary report details
The preliminary investigation report revealed that the aircraft's fuel control switches had moved to the cut-off position, interrupting fuel supply to the engines before the crash. However, it did not conclude whether this was a deliberate action or a technical malfunction. Pilot associations have criticized the inclusion of a cockpit exchange in the report, arguing that it fueled speculation about pilot involvement before any definitive conclusions were reached.
Independent probe
FIP, Sabharwal approach Supreme Court
The FIP and Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of flight commander Sumeet Sabharwal, have approached the Supreme Court for an independent investigation into the crash. Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organization recommends releasing a final report "as soon as possible" and, where feasible, within 12 months of an accident. However, data analysis from General Electric's engines in the United States is still underway, delaying the final report's release.
Global statistics
Analysis of global aviation accidents
According to the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) annual safety report, there were 374 aviation accidents recorded worldwide between 2018 and 2025, of which 52 were fatal. However, final investigation reports have been released for only 47% of these cases, while the investigations for the remaining incidents are still ongoing.