Final Phase of Air India Crash Investigation Underway

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is now in the concluding phase of its inquiry into the tragic Air India crash that resulted in 260 fatalities shortly after departing from Ahmedabad. A recent court document reveals that investigators have finalized the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and performed a psychological autopsy as part of the rigorous investigation.

Specific details regarding whose psychological evaluation was conducted remain undisclosed, and no conclusions about the accident's cause have surfaced yet.

Ongoing Key Analyses

Pending analyses of data retrieved from an engine monitoring unit in late May are still being addressed by the AAIB. Moreover, a deeper investigation into organizational factors tied to the accident is also underway.

The bureau mentioned that its current focus is on scrutinizing evidence gathered across operational, technical, human-factors, and organizational domains before formulating any definitive conclusions.

Interviews with Key Personnel

In pursuit of clarity, the AAIB has conducted interviews with Air India Boeing 787 pilots, cabin crew members who worked with the involved pilots, technical staff responsible for the aircraft, air traffic controllers, weather experts, and specialists in human factors.

Additionally, the bureau has confirmed that investigators approached the families of the flight crew early in the investigation process.

Legal Action from Captain's Family

The court filing is a result of a lawsuit filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, the father of the plane's captain, who voiced objections regarding an AAIB home visit that suggested his son may have cut fuel supply shortly after takeoff.

The AAIB also pointed out that media speculation and narratives attributing blame to the pilots have hampered the investigation, leading to some witnesses being less cooperative during interviews.

Draft Report Expected in October

According to the court filing, the remaining investigative tasks are anticipated to be concluded within roughly six weeks, contingent on outstanding external requirements.

The AAIB is set to draft a final report by October, which will then be circulated among the involved countries for feedback prior to its official publication.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is among the organizations that will receive the preliminary report for evaluation.

Unconfirmed Early Assessment

In earlier reports, it was noted that a preliminary assessment by US officials indicated that cockpit recordings might support the notion that the captain had halted fuel flow to the engines.

However, the AAIB has consistently stated that it is premature to arrive at any conclusive findings regarding the accident's cause.