The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the central government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding a petition filed by Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the father of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, and the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), seeking a judicially monitored probe into the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that occurred on June 12, 2025. The crash of Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, resulted in the loss of 260 lives.
During the hearing, a Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi addressed the concerns of the 91-year-old father, assuring him that the court did not believe the pilot was to blame for the tragic accident. Justice Kant stated, "This crash was extremely unfortunate, but you should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed". He further added, "No one in India believes it was the pilot's fault".
The petition was filed after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report in July, which stated that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after takeoff. The report indicated that the two fuel control switches were moved to the “cutoff” position in quick succession. Although the switches were turned back on approximately 10 seconds later, the engines had already flamed out, leading to the crash. The AAIB's preliminary report did not assign blame but the petitioners argue that the report hinted at pilot error without considering other critical factors.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Pushkaraj Sabharwal, argued that the AAIB investigation lacked independence. He emphasized the need for a judicially monitored probe under Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, which mandates impartiality in accident investigations. The petitioners have requested the court to halt the AAIB investigation, alleging that the investigating team comprises officials from the DGCA and other state aviation authorities whose actions are also under scrutiny.
The Supreme Court has acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the selective leak of the AAIB's preliminary inquiry report, which fueled a media narrative blaming pilot error for the crash. The court had previously expressed its concern over the "unfortunate" selective and piecemeal publication of the preliminary inquiry report.
The court clarified that foreign media reports would not influence the judicial process in India. This statement came in response to a Wall Street Journal report that attributed the crash to pilot error based on an unnamed government source.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with participation from experts from Boeing, the US National Transportation Safety Board, and the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch. The preliminary report revealed that the aircraft was deemed airworthy, with its Airworthiness Review Certificate valid until May 2026, and that routine maintenance had been carried out.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing of this petition along with another related matter on November 10.
