'Evidence Analysis Underway, May Carry Out Additional Evaluations', Says AAIB On AI-171 Crash's First Anniversary

Mumbai: Analysis of evidence gathered to investigate the Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad last year is underway, said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the first anniversary of the tragic accident. The investigative body also said it may conduct additional evaluations to ensure the conclusion is supported by scientific analysis.

Although the union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu had said that the final investigation report into the Ahmedabad Air India crash would be released by its first anniversary, the AAIB failed to publish the full report. On Friday, the aircraft accident investigation body issued an interim statement for the disaster, which occurred shortly after the Boeing 787-8 took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025.

According to AAIB, the past 12 months have been defined by an "extensive and rigorous" gathering of evidence. It said that the investigation team has focused on a wide net of technical, operational, organisational, and human factors while working alongside international accredited representatives, technical advisers, and subject matter experts.

The AAIB stated that significant progress has been made in reviewing aircraft systems and flight recorder data, engine-related components, and detailed maintenance history and operational records relevant to the investigation. The agency is currently analysing the evidence gathered and the results of various examinations "in a comprehensive and integrated manner." It added that additional technical evaluations and specialist examinations, wherever considered necessary, will continue to be undertaken.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has, on multiple occasions, written to the AAIB about multiple possible theories that might have led to the crash, raising concerns that the investigation is overlooking several serious electrical problems with the Boeing 787s. In its statement on Friday, the agency said that every aspect of the accident will be examined “with the utmost care and diligence so that the findings and safety recommendations command the confidence of all stakeholders.”

It also urged all stakeholders, the media, and the public to refrain from speculating or jumping to premature conclusions while the investigation progresses. “The sole purpose of an accident investigation is to enhance aviation safety through the identification of lessons and safety recommendations, and not to apportion blame or liability,” it added.

The AAIB stated that it will publish the final investigation report after completing all investigative activities, the requisite international review and the consultation process prescribed under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Annex 13.