Air India crash: Centre informs Supreme Court that simulator tests conducted

The Central government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that simulator tests have been conducted in connection with the June 2025 Air India Flight AI171 crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed more than 260 lives.

Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, told the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that simulator tests have been carried out.

A simulator tests evaluates a pilot’s technical handling, decision-making, and crew resource management (CRM) under simulated flight conditions. In case of a crash, it is conducted with test pilots to ascertain whether the pilot involved in the crash could have saved the plane.

"My instructions are that simulator tests have been conducted," the SG said.

The Court proceeded to record the same in its order.

"Plea seeks respondent be directed to conduct simulator tests to identify the cause of Air crash. There is further prayer that results of such test shall be placed before the investigating the committee. It has been stated here that simulator tests have been conducted and the issue in IA has been responded to," the order noted.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the father of deceased pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, and the Federation of Indian Pilots seeking formation of an independent committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to conduct a "fair, transparent and technically robust" investigation into the crash.

Earlier, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had submitted an affidavit stating that the draft final report into crash is likely to be ready by October.

In light of the same, the Court today proceeded to defer further hearing in the matter till the final week of October.

"We would like to wait for the AAIB report. Final report of AAIB shall be submitted in October. List the matter in last week of October," the Court said.

The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex on June 12 less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground.

The petitioners moved the Court contending that an incomplete or prejudiced inquiry would endanger future passengers and undermine aviation safety. They also questioned the AAIB's preliminary investigation report for allegedly focusing on pilot actions without conclusive evidence.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) recently filed its response opposing the prayer for judicial probe.

It said that the draft final report into the crash is likely to be ready by October.

AAIB contended that the Chicago Convention, ICAO Annex 13, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 and the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025 together constitute a complete statutory and treaty framework governing aircraft accident investigations.

It argued that this framework vests investigative authority primarily and exclusively in the Bureau, leaving no legal basis for a parallel investigation into the crash.

Pertinently, the Bureau also opposed the petitioners' request for access to cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recordings, arguing that Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025 imposes an absolute prohibition on the public disclosure of cockpit voice recordings and airborne image recordings.

The Bureau further said the purpose of an aircraft accident investigation is solely to improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents, and not to apportion blame or determine civil or criminal liability.

The Court will now wait for the report of AAIB before proceeding further with the case.

[Read Live Coverage]