Four months after the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people, the father of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and the Federation of Indian Pilots have petitioned the Supreme Court for a judicially monitored investigation. The petitioners argue that the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Board’s (AAIB) preliminary report, which suggests human error, is "profoundly flawed" and unfairly focuses on the pilots, who cannot defend themselves.

The petition criticizes the investigation for neglecting technical and procedural factors that may have caused the crash. It highlights a conflict of interest in the five-member probe team, dominated by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officers, whose regulatory oversight is under scrutiny. This setup, the petition claims, violates natural justice, as the team is effectively investigating its own lapses under the AAIB’s control.

Captain Sabharwal, with over 15,638 hours of incident-free flying, including 8,596 hours on Boeing 787-8 aircraft, and First Officer Clive Kundar were at the helm when AI-171 crashed seconds after takeoff on June 12, killing all 12 crew members, 229 of 230 passengers, and 19 people on the ground. The AAIB’s report cited a cockpit exchange fueling pilot error speculation, a narrative the Supreme Court previously called “unfortunate” in a related case.

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The petitioners demand an independent probe led by a retired Supreme Court judge and aviation experts to ensure transparency and accountability. They warn that without a credible investigation, the true causes of the tragedy may remain uncovered, risking future aviation safety.

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