India's AAIB says Air India 171 crash inquiry is in final analysis
A year on, India's Air India 171 inquiry has identified the fatal fuel-switch sequence but not the final cause.
In 30 seconds
- The AAIB preliminary report states that both fuel control switches moved to CUTOFF seconds after liftoff.
- The AAIB preliminary report records 241 deaths onboard and 19 deaths on the ground.
- The AAIB preliminary report did not assign blame or issue a final probable cause.
- The Federation of Indian Pilots alleges the inquiry has not fully examined technical data and possible electrical issues.
Air India Flight 171 (scheduled Ahmedabad-London service that crashed on 12 June 2025) is the single accident under investigation. Air India (India's flag carrier, owned by Tata Group since 2022) operated the flight. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB, civil aviation accident investigator under India's aviation ministry) leads the safety probe. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (long-haul twin-engine aircraft introduced in 2011) was the aircraft type. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Ahmedabad's main airport in Gujarat) was the departure point. London Gatwick Airport (major airport south of London) was the destination. B.J. Medical College (Ahmedabad medical campus) was struck by the aircraft. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India's aviation regulator) ordered post-crash checks. Federation of Indian Pilots (Indian pilots' association) is contesting aspects of the inquiry. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh (British passenger and sole onboard survivor) has called for clearer answers.
Background
The AAIB preliminary report places Flight 171 within the established post-crash model of factual findings first and conclusions later. The ICAO Annex 13 framework requires safety investigations to prevent recurrence rather than determine civil or criminal liability. The FAA's 2018 Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, cited in reporting on the preliminary report, had warned of possible fuel-switch locking issues on some Boeing aircraft but did not make inspection mandatory. Earlier Boeing 787 scrutiny followed battery fires that led regulators to ground the type in 2013; Flight 171 was the type's first fatal hull-loss accident since service entry.
Why now
The story is timely because 12 June 2026 marks the first anniversary of the crash, families are again demanding answers, and India's AAIB says the inquiry is approaching final analysis without a published final cause.
What happens next
Watch for the AAIB final report, any safety recommendations to Air India, Boeing, engine or component suppliers, and any court action linked to families' claims or the pilots' association's demand for a broader probe.
What to do
There is no announced change for passengers in Belgium. The practical takeaway is to follow official regulator or airline notices, not speculation, if a final report produces safety recommendations. Travellers with disrupted or bereavement-related claims should rely on airline, insurer and legal documentation rather than preliminary media interpretations of fault.
How we got here
- 2025-06-12
Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad while bound for London Gatwick.
- 2025-07-12
The AAIB preliminary report was released, identifying movement of both fuel control switches to CUTOFF shortly after liftoff.
- 2026-06-11
Sole survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh publicly called for honesty, transparency and answers.
- 2026-06-12
On the first anniversary, families and pilots' representatives renewed demands for clearer findings and scrutiny of the investigation.
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