‘Commendable job’: Civil Aviation minister hails AAIB for preliminary report on AI171 crash

VIZAG, NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Saturday hailed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for conducting a “transparent and professional” investigation into the Air India flight AI171 crash.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, meanwhile, urged people not to draw conclusions based on the preliminary report released by the AAIB on the Air India crash.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, resulting in the deaths of 260 individuals, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground.

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the preliminary report released by AAIB on Friday is under review by the Civil Aviation Ministry, adding that further comments will be made only after the final report is released.

#WATCH | Vizag | On AAIB’s preliminary report on AI 171 crash, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu says, “This is a preliminary report, at the ministry we are analysing it…We are coordinating with AIBB for any support they need. We are hoping that the final… pic.twitter.com/UsJB7yD1Xj

— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2025

“I like to appreciate the job done by the AIBB; very commendable job. It was a very challenging and tough task infact for the first time safely securing the blackbox and trying to decode the data and everything done in India itself in the lab in Delhi AIBB is the first of its kind, so I like to appreciate all the efforts they have put in to do a very transparent and very mature professional way the investigation has been done and also all the international protocols have been followed,” Naidu said.

“This is a preliminary report; At the ministry, we are analysing it… We are coordinating with AIBB for any support they need. We are hoping that the final reports come out soon so that we can arrive at some conclusion,” he added. Naidu further stated that pilots and crew are the backbone of the aviation industry and assured that all necessary steps would be taken to uphold safety standards.

On his part, Murlidhar Mohol, said, “The AAIB has brought out a preliminary report. This is not the final report. Until the final report comes out, we should not arrive at any conclusion. AAIB is an autonomous authority, and the ministry does not interfere in their work”.

#WATCH | On AAIB’s preliminary report on AI 171 crash, MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol says, “The AAIB has brought out a preliminary report. This is not the final report. Until the final report comes out, we should not arrive at any conclusion. AAIB is an autonomous… pic.twitter.com/ypIWnzb6Gt

— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2025

On Friday, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171. The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent.

Flight data recovered from the aircraft’s Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, “Why did you cut off?” to which the response was, “I did not”.

This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight.

According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call — a “MAYDAY” — was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter.

BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy also said that further investigation into the crash will reveal more about the incident. “The AAIB report states that the aircraft took flight normally, meaning it was capable of getting airborne. The jet fuel switch was in its required position. Later, the pilots reported engine power decreasing. Further probing will bring out why the engines had ‘flamed out.’ Captain Sabharwal and his co-pilot, using their years of experience, tried to relight the engines… How and why this happened will be known through further investigation,” he said.

The crash killed 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. The aircraft struck several buildings, including the BJ Medical College hostel, causing significant structural and fire damage across five structures. The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) did not activate, and emergency services were mobilised within five minutes of the crash. (ANI)