MUMBAI: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has demanded that the government immediately constitute a judicial probe and hold a Court of Inquiry that is_into the crash of Air India Flight AI 171. In a letter to the ministry, FIP alleged that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) inquiry has been “irrevocably compromised” by bias, unlawful leaks, and attempts to prematurely pin the blame on the pilots.
In a strongly worded letter dated September 22 to the Minister of Civil Aviation, the FIP said the AAIB’s conduct has “shattered the confidence of bereaved families and the aviation fraternity” in the ongoing probe into the June 12 disaster. The accident, involving a Boeing 787-8 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, claimed the lives of both pilots, ten cabin crew members, 229 passengers, and 19 people on the ground.
Accusations Against AAIB
The pilots’ body cited “egregious procedural and ethical breaches” by investigators, including a visit by AAIB officials to the residence of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal’s 91-year-old father, Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, under the pretext of offering condolences. During that visit, the officials allegedly insinuated—based on selective cockpit voice recorder (CVR) readings and a “layered voice analysis”—that Capt. Sabharwal had deliberately cut off fuel supply after take-off.
Calling this “professionally indefensible,” the FIP accused the AAIB of trying to establish a “pilot error narrative” before completing a comprehensive analysis. “This act of poisoning the well serves to frame the victim as the perpetrator from the outset, conveniently deflecting scrutiny from systemic failures in manufacturing, maintenance, or oversight,” the letter said.
The FIP also charged that the AAIB unlawfully leaked protected CVR information to the media, fuelling speculative reports about Capt. Sabharwal’s mental health. Media stories linked the accident to his divorce 15 years earlier and his mother’s death three years ago, despite his unblemished 30-year flying record and 15,638 hours of safe operations.
Legal and International Concerns
The pilots’ association stressed that these actions violate Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, which prohibits disclosure of CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) content. They also contravene the central principle of accident investigation—that its sole purpose is accident prevention, not assigning blame.
The letter warned that India risks international censure for failing to adhere to International Civil Aviation Organisation- ICAO’s Annex 13, which pertains to accident investigations. It calls for independent and impartial investigations. Sabharwal has already placed the Ministry on notice of potential legal action, further heightening the stakes.
Demand for a Judicial Inquiry
Under Rule 12 of the 2017 Rules, the government has the authority to order a formal Court of Inquiry when an investigation is inadequate. The FIP said this was not just “expedient but an urgent necessity,” given the scale of the tragedy, the loss of public trust, and the “manifest bias” shown by the AAIB.
The federation proposed that the Court be led by a retired Supreme Court judge and assisted by a panel of independent experts in operations, aircraft maintenance, avionics, flight control systems, and human factors. “Unlike the AAIB’s administrative process, a Court of Inquiry has all the powers of a civil court, including summoning documents from manufacturers like Boeing and General Electric,” the letter noted.
The FIP pointed to the precedent of the 2010 Mangalore crash, when the government constituted a Court of Inquiry led by a retired Air Marshal with a multidisciplinary panel. While that inquiry ultimately cited pilot error, it was accepted as credible and transparent. The AI171 case, the federation argued, demands an even higher standard of independence due to allegations of cover-up.
Global Cautionary Tale
The pilots’ body also drew parallels with the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, where early efforts to blame pilots delayed the discovery of systemic design flaws. “India cannot afford to repeat this mistake,” the letter warned. It argued that the AI171 crash, which occurred within a minute of take-off, bore the hallmarks of a catastrophic system failure and must be investigated with that possibility in mind.
Three Key Demands
The FIP urged the Ministry to:
- Constitute a Court of Inquiry under Rule 12, formally halting the AAIB probe.
- Ensure judicial and expert leadership of the inquiry, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
- Issue public clarification that the objective of accident investigations is safety, not blame, and direct the AAIB to cease extra-judicial commentary or media leaks.
“This demand is not made lightly,” the federation concluded. “A compromised, biased investigation that defaults to a simplistic and convenient ‘pilot error’ narrative is the single greatest threat. It ensures that underlying dangers remain hidden, only to re-emerge in a future catstrophe.
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