Air India AI 171 Crash: Initial Probe Report Expected This Week, Say Sources
The preliminary investigation report on the Air India AI 171 crash, which killed 260 people in Ahmedabad last month, is likely to be released within the mandated 30-day window, sources said. The report could be made public as early as this week.
Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture were briefed on the status of the probe during a recent meeting. Top officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) informed the committee that the initial findings are nearing completion.
According to sources, both black boxes from the crashed Boeing Dreamliner were recovered intact and are currently being decoded. The AAIB is collaborating with the US-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to analyse the data, which includes syncing cockpit voice and flight data with the aircraft’s final communications to Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control.
Specialised equipment flown in from the US has been handed over to Indian investigators, and the black boxes were transported under high security from Ahmedabad to Delhi on separate aircraft.
In a rare move, the wreckage has been reconstructed at a secured location near Ahmedabad airport to physically match damage patterns with black box data, officials added.
The June 12 crash involved flight AI 171, which plummeted into the BJ Medical College hostel building just seconds after take-off, killing all 241 people onboard and 19 on the ground.
During Wednesday’s committee meeting, MPs raised concerns over long-standing gaps in aviation oversight and the non-implementation of previous safety recommendations. Attendees included officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry, DGCA, AERA, AAI, BCAS, and representatives from major carriers including Air India and IndiGo.
Sources said several lawmakers had come prepared with pointed questions for Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam and other senior officials, particularly regarding delays in identifying the crash’s root cause.
Air safety concerns also dominated the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting a day earlier, where members demanded an audit by BCAS and highlighted the rising number of safety incidents in May and June.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson defended the Dreamliner’s safety record, calling it one of the most reliable aircraft globally, with over 1,000 units in operation.
Following the meeting, PAC member and former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel acknowledged the crash’s emotional impact but urged calm, reiterating that India’s aviation system remains robust.
“Safety is paramount. The DGCA is doing a good job, but we must strengthen it further. There is a shortage of senior personnel, and we must consider short-term appointments of experienced officials to fill the gap,” he said.
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