New Delhi: Nearly four months after the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, the father of the late pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal has turned to the Supreme Court, seeking a judicially supervised investigation into the disaster.
Pushkaraj Sabharwal, 88, has filed the petition as the primary petitioner, with the Federation of Indian Pilots joining as the second. The petitioners argue that the preliminary investigation into the crash is deeply flawed and disproportionately focused on the flight crew who, tragically, can no longer defend themselves.
The move comes in the wake of the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Board (AAIB) preliminary report, which indicated that human error may have caused the catastrophe. The petition, however, challenges this conclusion, asserting that the investigation has failed to explore other plausible technical and procedural factors. “Factual misdirection through selective disclosure, especially targeting crew who cannot respond, obstructs the discovery of root causes and endangers future flight safety,” the filing states, urging a neutral judicial review.
The petition also questions the composition of the five-member investigation team, noting that it violates a fundamental principle of natural justice: no individual should judge their own actions. The team, largely composed of officers from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and state aviation authorities, includes members whose regulatory oversight or procedural lapses may be directly implicated in the crash. Furthermore, the officers operate under the control of the Director General of AAIB, raising concerns about self-investigation.
“Only a judicially monitored, expert-driven investigation, independent of regulatory authorities, can ensure a thorough, transparent, and credible determination of the true causes of this tragedy,” the petition emphasizes. It calls for accountability, as well as preventive measures against future disasters.
The filing highlights Captain Sabharwal’s impeccable record spanning more than 30 years and 15,638 hours of incident-free flying, including 8,596 hours on the Boeing 787-8, with no prior lapses or accidents. He served as pilot-in-command on Flight AI-171, with First Officer Clive Kundar accompanying him on the ill-fated journey.
Flight AI-171, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just seconds after takeoff on the afternoon of June 12. All 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers perished. The aircraft collided with a medical college hostel, resulting in 19 additional casualties. Only one passenger survived the disaster.
The preliminary AAIB report released a month later referenced cockpit audio between Captain Sabharwal and First Officer Kundar. The recording suggested confusion over a control command, which the report interpreted as pilot error a conclusion that sparked widespread criticism from pilot associations. During earlier hearings on a similar petition from an aviation safety NGO, the Supreme Court termed the “pilot error” explanation as “unfortunate.”
The petition now seeks a probe led by a retired Supreme Court judge and a panel of independent aviation experts to ensure an unbiased and comprehensive investigation. With the nation still grappling with the scale of the tragedy, the plea underscores the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and safeguarding the integrity of aviation safety.