Pilots’ Group Demands Judicial Probe Into Air India Crash
The Federation of Indian Pilots has called for a judicially led inquiry into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171, alleging that the ongoing Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau probe has been compromised. In a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry dated September 22, the pilots’ body urged the government to establish a Court of Inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, backed by independent experts in maintenance, avionics, human factors, and flight operations.
The Boeing 787-8 crash on the Ahmedabad–London Gatwick route killed two senior pilots, 10 cabin crew, 229 passengers, and 19 people on the ground, making it one of India’s worst aviation disasters. The federation claims the investigation’s “integrity, impartiality and legality” have been “fundamentally and irrevocably compromised.”
According to the letter, officials allegedly engaged in “procedural and ethical breaches,” including an unsolicited visit to the home of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal’s 91-year-old father, where they reportedly floated a “pilot error” theory based on selective cockpit voice recorder interpretation. The group also accused investigators of leaking protected CVR details to the media, fueling “character assassination” of a veteran pilot with 15,600 flight hours.
The pilots’ body argues that focusing prematurely on pilot error risks obscuring potential systemic causes such as manufacturing or maintenance lapses. It drew parallels to the 2010 Mangalore Air India Express crash and the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, where early narratives initially deflected attention from deeper flaws.
The federation insists that only a Court of Inquiry can restore credibility, protect families’ rights, and safeguard India’s aviation safety reputation.
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