Air India crash probe enters final phase as investigators complete cockpit transcript
- AAIB expects investigation to conclude within weeks, with draft final report targeted for October.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has entered the final phase of its investigation into last year’s Air India Boeing 787 crash that killed 260 people shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
According to a court filing, investigators have completed a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and conducted a psychological autopsy as part of the inquiry. The filing did not specify whose psychological assessment was carried out or reveal any findings related to the crash.
The AAIB said analysis of data recovered from the aircraft’s engine monitoring unit is still pending, while assessments of certain organizational factors remain underway.
As part of the investigation, officials interviewed Air India Boeing 787 pilots, crew members who had previously flown with the accident crew, technical personnel, air traffic controllers, weather officials, and human-factors specialists. Investigators also visited the families of the flight crew during the early stages of the probe.
The disclosure came in response to a lawsuit filed by the father of the aircraft’s captain, who alleged investigators had implied his son cut fuel to the aircraft’s engines shortly after takeoff.
The AAIB said widespread media speculation assigning blame to the pilots had made some witnesses reluctant to cooperate fully with investigators.
The investigation has now moved into the analysis stage, with experts evaluating operational, technical, human-factors, and organizational aspects of the accident. The bureau expects the remaining investigative work to be completed within about six weeks, subject to pending external inputs.
A draft final report is expected around October and will be shared with participating countries, including the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), before publication.
According to a Reuters report last year, an early assessment by US officials indicated that cockpit voice recordings supported the view that fuel flow to the aircraft’s engines had been cut shortly after takeoff. The AAIB has consistently maintained that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.
