Air India crash probe under fire: Pilot’s father moves Supreme Court for judicial inquiry

The father of late Captain Sumeet Sabarwal has approached the Supreme Court seeking a judicially monitored inquiry into the Air India flight AI171 crash, calling for an independent probe to replace ongoing investigations by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

Pushkaraj Sabarwal, 91, together with the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), filed a writ petition recently demanding the constitution of a “Court Monitored Committee” headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, with independent aviation and technical experts as members.

The petition calls for all prior AAIB investigations, including the preliminary report released on July 12, to be treated as closed and all evidence transferred to the judicially monitored committee.

The move comes amid mounting concerns over what the petition describes as “a lack of credibility and transparency” in the ongoing probe of the June 12 crash, which claimed the lives of 260 people, including 241 passengers.

The petition highlights “failure to investigate design-level faults of the Boeing 787” and raises concerns over the preliminary report’s focus on “implausible fuel switch movement” and perceived pilot culpability.

“The AAIB’s narrative of pilot blame has compromised the independence, objectivity, and integrity of the investigation, creating serious legal and international liability under ICAO Annex 13,” the petition states.

Pushkaraj Sabarwal had previously written to the Civil Aviation Secretary and the AAIB Director General demanding a formal investigation under Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, which allows the central government to order a full probe into accidents involving Indian-registered aircraft.

In his letter dated August 29, Sabarwal expressed anguish over selective leaks and speculation regarding his son’s mental health, which he says have tarnished Captain Sabarwal’s reputation, protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The father emphasized that Captain Sabarwal, with over 25 years of flying experience and nearly 15,638 hours of flight time—including 8,596 hours on the Boeing 787-8—had never been involved in an accident.

The preliminary AAIB report had noted that fuel supply to both engines was cut within a one-second gap, causing confusion in the cockpit. However, amid public speculation, the AAIB clarified that it was too early to draw definitive conclusions and that the final report would determine the root cause of the tragedy.

The Supreme Court will now decide whether to direct a fully independent, court-monitored inquiry into one of India’s deadliest air accidents, a move that could reshape accountability standards in aviation safety investigations.