What caused Air India plane crash? India probes every angle, even sabotage

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is examining all possible angles, including sabotage, in the deadly crash of Air India flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad that killed over 250 people last month, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told NDTV in an exclusive interaction.

Mohol said the AAIB is conducting a thorough investigation into the June 12 crash, which occurred seconds after the London-bound Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Only one of the 242 people on board survived. The plane crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College, killing nine people on the ground as well.

“It was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investigation… It is being probed from all angles, including any possible sabotage,” Mohol said, adding that CCTV footage is being reviewed and several agencies are involved in the probe.


Mohol also confirmed that the black box recovered from the wreckage remains in the custody of AAIB and will not be sent abroad. “It will not go anywhere. We will do the entire investigation here.”

The pilot had issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call shortly after takeoff, the Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control confirmed. Preliminary theories from aviation experts suggest a rare simultaneous engine failure may have brought down the aircraft.

“It has never happened that both engines shut down together,” Mohol said, calling the accident a "rare case". He added that investigators are analysing data from the black box — including the cockpit voice recorder — to determine whether it was an engine issue, a fuel supply problem, or something else.

“The report will come in three months,” he said.

Mohol also addressed concerns about passenger safety following the crash, saying that all 33 Boeing Dreamliners in Air India's fleet have been inspected and found to be safe. “People are no longer scared and are travelling comfortably,” he added.

The minister further commented on staffing shortages, confirming that 419 technical vacancies at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will soon be addressed. On pilot welfare, he noted that aviators facing overwork or harassment by private airlines can approach the Civil Aviation Ministry directly.

Meanwhile, India has accepted a proposal from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to appoint an observer in the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 275 people. However, the UN aviation watchdog will not be allowed to join the probe team directly. This marks an unprecedented move by ICAO, typically reserved for conflict zones or military-related shoot-downs.

The observer will provide technical inputs and ensure global best practices are followed, but will not have investigative authority. Officials say the decision is aimed at enhancing transparency and reinforcing India’s adherence to international standards.

The U.S. National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) is already part of the probe due to Boeing and GE’s involvement, while the UK—after losing 53 nationals—has also been invited to send an observer.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has successfully extracted data from the black box in Delhi. A multidisciplinary team has been formed, but the lead investigator is yet to be officially named.