The Ministry of Civil Aviation has clarified that the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) do not hold Captain Sumeet Sabharwal responsible for the tragic Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad earlier this year, which claimed 260 lives.

The clarification came hours after the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and other concerned authorities in response to a petition filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of the late pilot-in-command. The petitioner has sought a fair and independent probe monitored by a retired judge, citing concerns of technical malfunction and procedural lapses.

During the hearing, Justice Surya Kant extended his condolences to the bereaved family, stating, “It’s deeply unfortunate that such a tragedy occurred, but you must not bear the burden that your son is being blamed. Nobody can fault him.”
Justice Joymalya Bagchi also noted that the AAIB’s preliminary report contained no evidence of pilot error.

According to early investigation details, Air India flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2023. The aircraft’s dual engines reportedly shut down moments after takeoff when fuel switches flipped from “run” to “cutoff.” Cockpit voice recordings captured Captain Sabharwal attempting emergency procedures seconds before the impact.