Air India crash probe: AAIB investigating all probable causes, govt tells Parliament
Synopsis
One year after 260 people died when Air India flight AI-171 crashed within 35 seconds of takeoff at Ahmedabad, the government has told Parliament that investigators are examining all probable causes — including a cockpit sequence where fuel cut-off switches moved to 'CUTOFF' before one pilot denied touching them. The final report is still pending.
Key Takeaways
The Ministry of Civil Aviation told Rajya Sabha on 20 July that AAIB is probing 'all probable causes' of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash .
260 people were killed — 241 on board and 19 on the ground — when AI-171 crashed at Ahmedabad airport on 12 June 2025 , within 35 seconds of takeoff.
The AAIB preliminary report (published 12 July 2025 ) found both engines lost thrust after fuel cut-off switches moved to 'CUTOFF'; the cockpit voice recorder showed one pilot denied activating them.
An interim statement was published on 12 June 2026 as required under ICAO Annex 13 ; the final report is pending.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has cautioned against drawing conclusions before the final report is released.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation informed Parliament on Monday, 20 July that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a 'transparent' investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad airport on 12 June 2025, with 'all probable causes leading to the accident being investigated.' The ministry's written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha confirmed the probe remains active and a final report will be published upon completion.
Status of the Investigation
A preliminary investigation report was published by AAIB on 12 July 2025 and is accessible on its official website. In addition, an interim statement was published on 12 June 2026, in compliance with ICAO Annex 13 requirements. The final report will follow once all findings are consolidated, the ministry stated.
What the Preliminary Report Found
According to the AAIB preliminary report, both engines of the ill-fated aircraft lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches moved from the 'RUN' to the 'CUTOFF' position. Crucially, the cockpit voice recorder revealed that one of the pilots told the other that he had not turned off the fuel control switches. The switches were subsequently returned to the 'RUN' position — but only moments before the aircraft crashed.
Notably, the sequence of events unfolded within 35 seconds of the plane taking off, leaving virtually no time for recovery. The findings raise significant questions about cockpit protocol and crew resource management, though investigators have cautioned that no conclusions should be drawn until the final report is released.
The Scale of the Tragedy
260 people were killed when Air India flight AI-171 — a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating the Ahmedabad–London Gatwick route — crashed on 12 June 2025. Of those, 241 were passengers and crew on board, while 19 people on the ground also lost their lives. One passenger on board survived in what officials described as a miraculous escape.
What the Government Said
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier urged against reaching any premature conclusions, stressing that the AAIB's preliminary report reflected early findings only. The ministry reiterated this position in its Rajya Sabha reply, emphasising the independence and transparency of the ongoing investigation.
About the AAIB
The AAIB functions as an independent statutory body mandated to investigate civil aviation accidents and serious incidents within Indian airspace. Established in July 2012 to align with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), it operates separately from the regulatory functions of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — a structural separation designed to ensure investigative integrity is not compromised by regulatory interests.
With the final report still pending, the investigation into one of India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent memory continues to draw close scrutiny from families of victims, aviation safety experts, and lawmakers alike.
Point of View
'all probable causes', 'final report pending' — language that tells grieving families and aviation safety watchers very little they did not already know. The real story buried in the preliminary findings is the fuel cut-off switch sequence: one pilot reportedly denied activating the switches that cut engine thrust, yet they moved anyway. That contradiction sits at the heart of one of India's deadliest aviation disasters and has not been publicly resolved. The AAIB's structural independence from the DGCA is a sound design, but independence only matters if the final report names causes with the same candour that the preliminary report implied. A year on, the timeline for that final report remains unspecified — and that silence is itself a governance question lawmakers should be pressing harder.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current status of the Air India Boeing crash investigation?
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is actively investigating all probable causes of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad, according to a written reply submitted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July. A preliminary report was published on 12 July 2025 and an interim statement on 12 June 2026; the final report is pending completion of the probe.
What did the AAIB preliminary report reveal about the Air India crash?
The preliminary report found that both engines of AI-171 lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches shifted from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF'. The cockpit voice recorder, however, captured one pilot telling the other that he had not turned off the fuel control switches, after which the switches were returned to 'RUN' — but only seconds before the plane crashed.
How many people were killed in the Air India Ahmedabad crash?
A total of 260 people were killed — 241 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 19 people on the ground. One passenger survived. The crash occurred on 12 June 2025 within 35 seconds of the aircraft taking off on the Ahmedabad–London Gatwick route.
What is the AAIB and why is it investigating the crash independently?
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is an independent statutory body established in July 2012 to investigate civil aviation accidents in Indian airspace in line with ICAO standards. It operates separately from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that safety investigations are not influenced by the regulator's own oversight functions.
When will the final report on the Air India crash be released?
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has not specified a release date for the final report, stating only that it will be published upon completion of the investigation. The interim statement required under ICAO Annex 13 was published on 12 June 2026, marking one year since the crash.
