Air India Crash Investigation Faces Delays as Speculations Mount

Fri Jun 12 2026 23:46:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Investigators have postponed the release of Air India crash final report amid growing speculations about pilot actions and ongoing safety reviews.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said a final report on the fatal Air India Flight AI171 will not be ready soon, citing ongoing analysis of evidence. Over a year after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take‑off from Ahmedabad, speculation has focused on pilot actions, with a cockpit recording hinting that the captain might have cut fuel. The AAIB’s latest update emphasised that the investigation seeks to improve aviation safety, not assign blame. Families and aviation groups await details as the inquiry continues.

Air India Crash Investigation Delays Amid Pilot Speculations

By Flora Drury

Debris at crash site
EPA

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed that it is not yet ready to publish the final report on the Air India Flight AI171 crash that killed 250 people, including all aboard the Boeing 787‑8 wrecked minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025.

The AAIB issued a brief update on the flight’s first anniversary, noting "significant progress" in the analysis of flight data, maintenance records and engine‑related evidence – but clarified that the investigation remains in progress.

The crash, which occurred just 6 kilometres from the airport and destroyed a doctors’ accommodation building, left 19 people dead on the ground and 241 air‑crew and passengers. A single survivor, 15‑year‑old Viswashkumar Ramesh, was rescued from the wreckage.

The preliminary report published last year identified a sudden shift of fuel‑control switches to the “cut‑off” position as the likely cause of engine starvation. Audio from the cockpit recorded a pilot questioning why the fuel system was shut off, with the other pilot responding that he had not done so, but the identities of the speakers remain unclear.

Following the release of the preliminary findings, media focus turned to the senior pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, and accusations that he may have deliberately severed the fuel flow. Indian pilot associations and the AAIB denied any allegations of intentional wrongdoing, stressing that the investigation’s intent is to enhance safety rather than assign blame.

Members of the investigation team have described the work as "extensive and rigorous", examining all relevant technical, operational and human factors. They also noted that the final report will be issued only after all investigative activities conclude and after requisite international review and consultation processes.

In a related development, Sabharwal’s father publicly vowed to defend his son’s reputation against the mounting allegations, arguing that pilots are routinely blamed in aviation accidents and that there is no opportunity for defence.

As the investigation moves forward, families of victims and aviation safety experts await a comprehensive report that could shape future airline regulations and procedures.