On the first anniversary of the Air India Flight AI-171 disaster that killed 260 people, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released an interim update offering few new details on the cause. The ongoing probe continues to examine the catastrophic loss of thrust that caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to crash into a medical college hostel 32 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.
The AAIB stated Friday that “significant progress” has been made in analyzing the aircraft’s systems, flight recorder data, and maintenance records. The bureau declined to provide a timeline for the final report, emphasizing that it will be released upon completion of an “extensive and rigorous examination.” The bureau reiterated that the investigation’s sole purpose is aviation safety and generating recommendations, rather than apportioning liability or blame.
The update leaves victims’ families and the aviation industry waiting for a definitive explanation of the cockpit anomaly identified in last July’s preliminary report. Investigators found that both engine fuel-control switches abruptly moved from the “RUN” to “CUTOFF” position within a second of each other. Cockpit voice recorders captured a confusing exchange where one pilot questioned the other regarding the fuel cutoff, which the second pilot immediately denied executing. Only one passenger, Viswashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash.
The unresolved circumstances maintain intense scrutiny on Boeing and GE Aerospace as technical analysis of the engines and electrical systems continues. In the wake of the initial findings, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered airlines operating Boeing 787 Dreamliners to conduct thorough inspections of the fuel control switch locking mechanisms. Meanwhile, according to The Economic Times, Air India has been actively defending its compensation payouts to the families of the victims as the complex technical evaluation delays the final conclusions.