Draft final report will be ready by October (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has informed the Supreme Court that the draft final report into the Air India Flight AI171 crash is likely to be ready by October 2026. The bureau said the investigation is expected to complete its core activities within the next six weeks, subject to the resolution of pending external dependencies.
In an affidavit filed ahead of the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for July 17, the AAIB said the investigation remains in the evidence collection, technical examination and forensic analysis stage. The crash, involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, occurred shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, killing 260 people.
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The AAIB said that once the draft final report is prepared, it will be shared with the United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as required under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules. The consultation process is expected to take between 30 and 60 days before the report is finalised.
According to the affidavit, investigators have interviewed Air India pilots, Boeing 787 crew members, air traffic controllers and aviation experts as part of the probe.
The bureau opposed petitions seeking a court-monitored or independent investigation, arguing that the existing legal and international framework governing aircraft accident investigations leaves no scope for a parallel probe.
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It also informed the court that 49 of the 66 prescribed procedural steps have already been completed, with all statutory safeguards being followed during the investigation.
The AAIB reiterated that cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and airborne image recordings cannot be made public under Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025.
The agency maintained that the investigation is intended solely to improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents, and not to determine civil or criminal liability. It also said the identities of individuals involved in the accident cannot be disclosed in the final report under the applicable rules.
