Supreme Court seeks government response on plea for independent Air India crash probe

The Supreme Court has asked the central government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to respond within two weeks to a petition challenging the probe into the June 12 Air India Boeing 787-8 crash near Ahmedabad.

The plea, filed by the NGO Safety Matters Foundation, seeks an independent, court-monitored investigation rather than one led by existing authorities.

The petition argues that the preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) which implicated pilot error following findings that both engine fuel controller switches moved from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" shortly after takeoff may have prematurely attributed blame to pilots without examining systemic or technical lapses thoroughly.

A key point raised is the composition of the probe panel: three of the five members are serving officers of the DGCA, which the petition claims represents a conflict of interest, especially since DGCA is the regulatory authority whose oversight and safety regulations might come under scrutiny.

During Supreme Court hearing, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh described certain conclusions of the preliminary report as “unfortunate,” especially those suggesting pilot error, and stressed that premature disclosure of selective findings risks harming reputations and harming dignity.

The Court also pressed on the need for confidentiality in certain aspects of the data, particularly flight record and cockpit voice recorder transcripts, until investigations complete, while ensuring that the final report is comprehensive.

On June 12, Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, bound for London Gatwick. The crash killed 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Only one passenger survived.

The NGO’s petition further points out that under Indian rules (specifically, the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017), factual data collected during early inquiry stages, including full flight data recorder output, cockpit voice recordings with timestamps, and fault recording data must be disclosed. The petitioners say that much of this has been withheld or partially disclosed.

The bench has issued notices to the government and DGCA to outline how they plan to ensure that the investigation is impartial and speedy. The court has not yet ruled on the PIL itself or directed a specific independent probe body.