New Delhi: India's investigation into the deadly Air India Flight AI171 crash has entered its final stage after officials completed several key parts of the inquiry, including a psychological autopsy, cockpit voice recorder analysis and interviews with witnesses. Investigators say the findings are now being brought together as they work towards identifying the cause of one of the country's worst aviation disasters in recent years.
The latest update came through a filing by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) before the Supreme Court. The agency said it has completed the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder, carried out a psychological autopsy and finished interviewing everyone considered important to the investigation. The final report is now being prepared, although investigators stressed that no conclusions have yet been reached.
The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, while operating Flight AI171 to London Gatwick. The aircraft lost power moments after departure and crashed into a residential area near the airport. The accident claimed the lives of 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew members on board and 19 people on the ground. Only one passenger survived the crash.
One of the most closely watched aspects of the investigation is the psychological autopsy. This is a specialised forensic process that examines a person's mental and emotional condition before a major incident. Investigators review medical records, work history, communications and interviews with family members and colleagues to better understand whether any human factors may have influenced events leading up to the accident.
The AAIB has not revealed whose psychological assessment was conducted or what the findings show. Officials have also made it clear that the exercise should not be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing by any individual. Instead, it forms part of a broader investigation that looks at every possible factor, including technical, operational and human elements.
Investigators have interviewed Air India pilots, engineers, maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, weather officials and experts in human behaviour. Family members of the flight crew have also been spoken to as part of the inquiry. Alongside these interviews, the investigation has included a detailed review of maintenance records, operational procedures and the aircraft's technical systems.
One important piece of evidence is still being analysed. Investigators are awaiting the final assessment of data from the aircraft's Engine Monitoring Unit, which records engine performance during flight. Officials believe this information could help determine whether the engines experienced any technical problems before the crash or whether they continued operating normally until power was lost.
The investigation has attracted worldwide attention since a preliminary report released earlier suggested that both engine fuel control switches had moved from the "Run" position to the "Cutoff" position shortly after takeoff. The report did not explain how the switches moved or why this happened, but the finding led to widespread speculation that pilot actions may have contributed to the accident.
Those reports prompted strong reactions from pilot associations in India and abroad. Several aviation groups criticised media reports that appeared to blame the flight crew before the investigation had been completed. They argued that many questions remain unanswered and warned against drawing conclusions without all the evidence.
The issue has also reached India's Supreme Court. The father of the aircraft's captain filed a petition after reports suggested that his son may have deliberately caused the crash. The family argued that selective leaks from the investigation unfairly damaged the captain's reputation before the official inquiry had reached any conclusion. The AAIB's latest filing was submitted as part of the government's response in that legal case.
The investigation is being carried out with assistance from several international agencies because the aircraft was built in the United States and was operating an international flight. Experts from the United States National Transportation Safety Board, Boeing, GE Aerospace and the United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch are working alongside Indian investigators in accordance with international aviation rules.
According to the AAIB, the active phase of the investigation is expected to be completed within the next six weeks. A draft final report is likely to be prepared around October and shared with participating countries for technical review before it is released publicly.
Until that report is published, investigators continue to emphasise that the cause of the crash has not been determined. They have urged the public and the media to avoid speculation and allow the investigation to reach its conclusions based on evidence gathered from the aircraft, its systems and all available records.