The final report into the crash of Air India Flight 171 is expected to take another two months to complete, senior sources monitoring the investigation have indicated on the first anniversary of the disaster. Insiders have reassured the public that the inquiry by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is progressing on the right track, promising that all findings will eventually be placed transparently into the public domain.
The catastrophe occurred when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people and marking the world’s deadliest aviation accident in a decade. High-level sources familiar with the inquiry emphasised that the objective is to deliver an exhaustive final document, dismissing several international media speculations as entirely baseless. Notably, sources confirmed that GE Aerospace, the manufacturer of the aircraft's engines, has raised no objections regarding the ongoing focus of the technical team. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been routinely reviewing the progress of the case, with senior leadership receiving regular briefings on the assembly of the final documentation. However, the ministry has intentionally maintained a strict distance from any sensitive internal developments or emerging findings to preserve the integrity of the independent body.
While the AAIB is reportedly considering the publication of an interim status report before the definitive conclusion is reached, authorities noted that international norms governed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) place no mandatory obligation on investigators to issue such an anniversary update. Furthermore, the timeline has been marginally affected by the broader geopolitical crisis in West Asia, which has strained the global aviation sector and impacted various stakeholders tied to the probe.
As stated in the first preliminary report, which came out last year, the switches for the fuel controls on the engines of the Dreamliner had moved nearly simultaneously from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” mode right seconds after take off. It is the crucial move that instantly deprived the two engines of fuel supply, leaving investigators puzzled until today.
Also read: AI171 crash anniversary: Probe report still pending a year on
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