Pilots' body seeks probe into Air India crash report leak
What's the story
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has called for a judicial probe into the Air India Flight AI 171 crash on June 12, 2025. In a letter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the FIP alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) "fundamentally and irrevocably compromised the integrity, impartiality, and legality of the ongoing investigation." The pilots' body urged the ministry to constitute a 'Court of Inquiry,' headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
Investigation integrity
'Pilot error narrative'
In the letter, the FIP also accused the AAIB of engaging in "procedural and ethical breaches," including an unsolicited visit to Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal's father. During this visit, they allegedly suggested pilot error through "selective cockpit voice recorder (CVR) interpretation" and "layered voice analysis." The pilots' body said this was an attempt to frame a "pilot error" narrative prematurely, diverting attention from systemic causes like manufacturing or maintenance lapses.
Media leaks
Leaking CVR details to media
The FIP also accused the AAIB of leaking protected CVR details to the media, which they said led to "character assassination" of Capt. Sabharwal. They claimed these actions violated Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, which prohibits disclosure of cockpit recordings. The pilots' body argued that only a judicially led Court of Inquiry can restore credibility to the investigation.
Proposed inquiry
FIP draws parallels with past investigations
The FIP has proposed that the Court of Inquiry be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and assisted by independent experts in aircraft maintenance, avionics, human factors, and flight operations. They drew parallels with past investigations like the 2010 Mangalore Air India Express crash and Boeing 737 MAX tragedies to emphasize their point. The pilots' body warned that continuing with the current investigation would damage India's aviation safety credibility globally.
Investigation integrity
Demand for formal censure of the AAIB
The FIP has also demanded a formal censure of the AAIB for its actions. They stressed that accident investigations should focus on safety prevention, not apportioning blame. Capt. Sabharwal's father, Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, also wrote to the FIP seeking fairness in the investigation process. On July 12, the AAIB issued its preliminary report, which attributed the crash to "fuel cutoff switches" being switched from "run" to "cutoff," suggesting a pilot error.