Air India Flight 171 departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad on 12 June last year with 230 passengers and 10 crew members. Thirty-two seconds after takeoff, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed, killing all but one person on board, plus 19 people on the ground. Investigation of the disaster falls under India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with the US National Transportation Safety Board and representatives from Boeing and GE Aerospace participating as accredited parties under international aviation protocols.
The preliminary investigation report identified a critical detail: the aircraft’s fuel cutoff switches transitioned to the cutoff position seconds after takeoff, depriving the engines of fuel. Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking another why the fuel was cut off, with the other pilot denying responsibility. This disclosure triggered widespread speculation and media coverage suggesting pilot involvement, with some reports indicating the captain may have deliberately disabled the engines. The AAIB subsequently condemned selective media reporting as irresponsible and urged the public to avoid premature conclusions during the ongoing investigation process.
Multiple parties have challenged the pilot-focused narrative. India’s Federation of Indian Pilots, the captain’s family, and various safety campaigners have argued the investigation is compromised and have petitioned India’s Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry. Alternative theories propose that an electrical failure could have caused the aircraft’s systems to malfunction, triggering an automatic fuel cutoff. Investigators point to the aircraft’s history of electrical problems, including a power panel incident in 2022, and have noted the aircraft was operating with a known fault in its core network system.
Another theory centers on the Ram Air Turbine emergency power system, which CCTV footage shows deployed immediately after takeoff. Simulator tests suggest the turbine required more time to generate sufficient hydraulic power than the preliminary report indicates, implying it may have deployed earlier than official accounts suggest. Lawyers representing families of 135 victims have characterized the turbine’s early deployment as a symptom of underlying system failure rather than evidence supporting the pilot suicide theory.
The controversy has highlighted broader concerns about the integrity of international aviation accident investigations. Critics argue that national authorities conducting investigations face pressure from manufacturers and political interests. The International Civil Aviation Organisation recently proposed changes to investigation protocols taking effect in late 2028, including provisions for delegating investigations to third parties. However, advocates for reform argue fundamental structural changes are necessary, including the establishment of a global investigation authority independent of national governments and aircraft manufacturers.
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