AAIB team may visit US lab to share crash data
The visit will be the last major step before the investigation into the June 12 crash is completed, with the final report expected before the June 2026 deadline
A team from the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to travel to the US this month with the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder information from Air India Flight 171 for detailed analysis at facilities run by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), multiple officials told HT.
The visit will be the last major step before the investigation into the June 12 crash is completed, with the final report expected before the June 2026 deadline, one of these people said, asking not to be named.
“Investigators will conduct detailed analysis at the US facilities to determine why the aircraft’s fuel switches moved during takeoff,” this person said, explaining that a detailed analysis of the audio will help establish whether the fuel switches were indeed physically moved from the “run” to cut-off position .
The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed immediately after takeoff on June 12, killing all but one of the passengers on board.
According to the preliminary report released on July 12, engine shutdown caused the crash after fuel switches transitioned to the off position shortly after takeoff.
The report revealed cockpit voice recordings showing one pilot realising fuel had been cut off to both engines, while his colleague denied initiating the action. However, the report did not identify which pilot said what.
“The report by AAIB will be very detailed, addressing all issues with respect to the flight on that particular day,” a second official said, adding that the focus is on providing clarity to passengers and the industry on the possible reasons for the crash.
The US facility can analyse noise captured by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to help investigators understand whether the aircraft’s fuel control switches were transitioned from the run to cutoff position, the second official added.
“During the visit, the health of the switch will also be assessed, as the facility is equipped to determine the maintenance status of the switch,” this person said. The switches had been recovered from the wreckage.
The NTSB lab is equipped with specialist gear for deeper scrutiny of flight data recorders, especially cockpit voice records, one of the officials quoted above added. The CVR captures all ambient noises in the cockpit, not just what pilots say. The cockpit area microphone picks up clicks from switches being flipped, the whirring of landing gear extension or retraction, and changes in engine noise.
By correlating the sounds on the CVR with the data recorded on the flight data recorder, investigators can gain valuable insight into the crew’s actions, decisions and reactions to specific events or warnings, the person said.
The plan to visit US comes amid reports of differences between NTSB and AAIB officials during the early days of probe. Indian government and AAIB officials have not commented on these accounts and said the agencies have been working together.
