Indian Pilots Cleared as New Evidence Emerges in Air India AI171 Crash Investigation

A devastating air disaster left the world’s eyes fixed on India. In the immediate aftermath, several international media outlets—including The Wall Street Journal and Reuters—pointed fingers at the Indian pilots, alleging pilot error as the cause of Air India Flight AI171’s tragedy. However, recent developments have dramatically shifted the focus of the investigation.

Following these accusations, the Indian Pilots Association sent legal notices to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, demanding official apologies for their reporting. The pilots’ union has also filed a defamation case against the outlets, as new evidence begins to emerge about the real cause of the incident.

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171 crashed just 26 seconds after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, resulting in over 270 deaths and a single miraculous survivor. The exact cause of the accident had remained a mystery—until now.

According to an exclusive report by the Indian Express, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) discovered something shocking in their investigation: limited electric fire marks were found in the aircraft’s empennage debris (the tail section), a finding that has redirected suspicions toward a critical failure in the aircraft’s electrical system.

Preliminary findings show that only three seconds after takeoff, both engines’ fuel control switches unexpectedly moved from “run” to “cut-off” positions, causing the engines to shut down. The cockpit voice recorder captured a pilot asking, “Why did you cut the fuel?” to which the co-pilot replied, “I didn’t.” This immediately raised suspicions of an electrical systems failure.

Investigators now suspect that a major electrical fault sent erroneous data to the engine control unit, resulting in both engines shutting down. The aircraft was at too low an altitude for the pilots to recover, and although the ram air turbine deployed to provide emergency power, there was not enough time for corrective action. The rear black box was damaged, but valuable data was retrieved from the front black box.

Further investigation revealed that on the previous flight (AI423 from Delhi to Ahmedabad), the pilots reported a malfunction in the “stabilizer position transducer,” a sensor responsible for monitoring and controlling aircraft pitch. After maintenance checks in Ahmedabad, the flight was cleared, but investigators now believe the sensor problem may have been part of a larger electrical issue.

Key components such as the APU, transducers, and radar units from the crash site have been preserved for detailed analysis. Experts from Boeing, General Electric (USA), NTSB, and the UK’s CAA are jointly involved in the investigation.

Survivor Vishwas Ramesh recalled that, moments before the crash, cabin lights flickered green and white, followed by a sudden explosion—further supporting the electrical failure theory.

So, was this accident a result of technical negligence rather than pilot error? Could the global aviation giant Boeing be held accountable for possible lapses? And most critically, are future flights safe for passengers?

The final answers await as the investigation progresses.