The Centre has announced that the high-level panel formed to probe the Ahmedabad air crash involving an Air India Dreamliner will submit its final report within three months. The Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation confirmed on Tuesday that the investigation is in full swing, with multiple possible causes under review.
The crash of flight AI171—a Boeing 787 Dreamliner—on June 12, just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, led to the death of 270 people, including 29 on the ground. Only one person on board survived the impact. The aircraft was en route to London when it crashed into the complex of a nearby medical college, triggering nationwide concern over aviation safety.
Addressing reporters in Pune, the Minister revealed that of Air India’s 34 Boeing 787 aircraft, 12 have already undergone safety checks. “No issues have been found so far,” the Minister stated, adding that instructions have been issued to inspect all remaining aircraft. He expressed hope that data retrieved from the aircraft’s black box—comprising the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder—will provide crucial insights into the cause of the crash.
The Centre has constituted a multidisciplinary committee chaired by the Union Home Secretary to lead the probe. The panel is tasked with identifying the root cause of the crash and assessing contributing factors, including possible mechanical failure, human error, and compliance lapses. Officials said the committee has already convened for its first meeting in New Delhi, where it consulted aviation stakeholders and discussed measures to prevent future accidents.
Concurrently, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is carrying out a technical investigation focused on systems failures, including possible engine thrust loss, multiple bird strikes, or wing flap malfunction. DNA samples have been collected from over 270 individuals to aid in victim identification, with 70 to 80 bodies already returned to families, according to hospital authorities in Ahmedabad.
International cooperation has intensified, with the U.S.-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launching a parallel probe, as mandated by global aviation norms since the aircraft was Boeing-made. The NTSB will assess potential technical or design flaws, bringing global oversight and transparency to the ongoing investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation tragedies.