New Delhi, Feb 12: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday “categorically clarified” that reports suggesting the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 accident has been finalised are incorrect and speculative.
“The investigation is still in progress. No final conclusions have been reached,” the AAIB said in a statement. The Preliminary Report released earlier provided factual information available at that stage. The Final Investigation Report, containing conclusions and safety recommendations, will be published upon completion of the investigation in line with established international norms, the statement said.
The AAIB conducts investigations strictly in accordance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and India’s obligations under ICAO Annex 13. Aircraft accident investigations are technical, evidence-based processes aimed at determining root causes and enhancing safety, it added.
The AAIB urged media organisations to exercise restraint and avoid premature speculation, noting that unverified reporting causes unnecessary public anxiety and undermines the integrity of an ongoing professional investigation.
The AAIB remains fully committed to transparency, procedural integrity and the highest standards of aviation safety, the statement added. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha earlier this month that the AAIB is investigating the Air India flight AI-171 crash at Ahmedabad in June last year from all angles and aims to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner.
“All probable causes leading to the accident are being investigated, and all efforts are being made to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner”, in accordance with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) rules, the Minister said in a written reply to a question in the house.
Air India flight AI 171 crashed just seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport into a medical college hostel building, killing 241 passengers and crew on board the plane and another 19 people on the ground on June 12, 2025.
A preliminary report released by the AAIB on July 12 stated that both engines of the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches moved from the ‘RUN’ to the ‘CUTOFF’ position.
However, the cockpit voice recorder has revealed that one of the pilots told the other that he did not turn off the fuel control switches. The fuel switches were then returned to the RUN position just before the plane crashed.
IANS
