In a detailed update to Parliament, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol revealed that the AAIB is leaving no stone unturned in investigating the June 2025 Air India AI-171 crash near Ahmedabad airport.
The minister assured the Rajya Sabha that the probe adheres strictly to ICAO guidelines, with a focus on timely completion. Every conceivable cause—from mechanical failures to human factors—is under the microscope.
Published on July 12, 2025, the initial AAIB report offers a factual snapshot without safety recommendations. It details the sequence: AI-171’s Boeing 787 engines failed post-takeoff due to fuel switches shifting to ‘CUTOFF’. Cockpit recordings contradict this, with a pilot denying any switch manipulation. The switches were reportedly flipped back to ‘RUN’ seconds before the fatal collision with a nearby hostel.
The accident on June 12 claimed 260 lives—241 aboard and 19 on ground—in a horrifying smash into a medical college facility right after departure.
Mohol’s statement comes amid calls for accountability. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu previously urged restraint on speculations, noting preliminary reports aren’t conclusive. With ICAO’s 12-month deadline looming, the final analysis could reshape airline safety protocols.
This tragedy has reignited debates on pilot training, aircraft maintenance, and airport proximity to populated areas. Stakeholders watch closely as AAIB sifts through black box data, wreckage analysis, and witness accounts to pinpoint the root cause.
