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Air India Plane Crash: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu responded to the first findings released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. “This is a preliminary report, at the ministry we are analysing it...We are coordinating with AAIB for any support they need. We are hoping that the final reports come out soon so that we can arrive at some conclusion,” Naidu told ANI.

The AAIB published its initial report on Saturday about the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash that claimed at least 270 lives. According to the report, the accident was caused by fuel being cut off to both engines shortly after takeoff. It also included details of a last-minute conversation between the pilots discussing the fuel cutoff issue. However, the investigative agency did not recommend any immediate action against the operators of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The London-bound flight crashed into the BJ Medical College building after departing from Ahmedabad airport, with 240 of the 241 passengers on board losing their lives. The AAIB is continuing to gather more information from involved parties as part of the ongoing investigation.

On June 12, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London began losing engine thrust almost immediately after leaving Ahmedabad airport. The plane crashed into a medical college hostel, resulting in the deaths of 241 people onboard and 19 on the ground, marking the deadliest aviation accident in India in a decade.

The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, a highly experienced pilot with 30 years at Air India. He had logged 15,638 flying hours, including 8,596 hours on the Boeing 787, and also served as an instructor for the airline. His co-pilot was Clive Kunder, 32, who had 3,403 flying hours overall, with 1,128 on the Dreamliner. According to the report, Kunder was the pilot flying the aircraft at the time, while Sabharwal was acting as the pilot monitoring. Both crew members passed pre-flight breathalyser tests and were seen on CCTV at the gate before takeoff.

What AAIB Report In Air India Crash Revealed | Top Points

- Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that the ministry is analysing the reports. "I truly believe we have the most wonderful workforce in terms of pilots and crew in the whole world. Pilots and crew are the backbone of the aviation industry," he added.

- The AAIB initial report suggests that while one of the pilots questioned the fuel cut-off to both engines, the other responded by saying that he had not done it.

- Reacting to the AAIB's preliminary report on the Air India-171 crash, the Pilots' Association of India claims the investigation assumes pilot error. They expressed concerns over the probe's "secrecy" and the lack of "suitably qualified personnel" involved.

- While reacting to the initial report, Boeing stated that they will continue to support the investigation and the customers. “Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected on the ground in Ahmedabad. We continue to support the investigation and our customer,” Boeing was quoted as saying by ANI.

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- The 15-page report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied.

- According to a chronology laid out in the report by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, both fuel control switches - which are used to turn the engines off - were moved to the cutoff position almost immediately after takeoff. The report however did not say how this happened or who did it.

- One of the pilots issued a "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" distress call but before air traffic controllers could get a response about what had gone wrong, the plane crashed just outside the Ahmedabad airport boundary having grazed some trees before plunging into a hostel packed with students.

- The preliminary report by AAIB released on Saturday, recommended no action for now for the operators of Boeing 787-8 planes. "The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC (13.38 IST) and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec," the report said.

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- "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," it said.

- Almost immediately after the plane lifted off the ground, CCTV footage shows a backup energy source called ram air turbine (RAT) had deployed, indicating a loss of power from the engines.

- In a statement, Air India said that it "stands in solidarity with the families and those affected" and "[continues] to mourn the loss" of those killed in the accident.

- The US National Transportation Safety Board noted that there were no recommended actions in the report aimed at operators of Boeing 787 jets or the GE engines.

- The AAIB report cited a FAA airworthiness bulletin from 2018 on the "potential disengagement of fuel control switch locking feature" on Boeing planes including the 737 and 787. The Air India jet was not inspected for the locking mechanism fault as it was never mandatory and that there has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023, it said.

- In the report, AAIB also said fuel samples taken from bowsers and tanks used to refuel the aircraft were tested at the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) Lab and were found satisfactory.
The preliminary report was widely anticipated to throw more light on what could have led to the crash.
The AAIB said the wreckage site activities, including drone photography/ videography have been completed and the wreckage has been moved to a secure area near the airport.

- The AAIB is gathering additional details based on initial leads and data downloaded from the forward Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) is being analysed.
"At this stage of investigation, there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers," the report said. The plane that crashed was powered by GEnx-1B engines.

- Statements of the witnesses and the surviving passenger have been obtained by the investigators. The complete analysis of post-mortem reports of the crew and the passengers is being undertaken to corroborate aeromedical findings with the engineering appreciation, the AAIB said.

- There were 230 passengers on board -- 15 in the business class and 215, including two infants, in economy class. The Pilot In Command (PIC) had more than 15,638 hours of flying experience while the first officer had over 3,403 hours of flying experience.

- The carrier put out the statement early on Saturday after AAIB released its initial investigation report late on Friday. In a post on the social media platform X, Air India said that it continues ‘to mourn the loss’ as it acknowledged the receipt of the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) today, 12 July 2025.

“Air India stands in solidarity with the families and those affected by the AI171 accident. We continue to mourn the loss and are fully committed to providing support during this difficult time,” Air India said in a statement.

With Inputs from Agencies