Pilot’s Father Moves Supreme Court, Seeks Judicial Probe Into Air India AI171 Crash

October 16, 2025

New Delhi: Expressing grave concern over what he termed a “lack of credibility and transparency” in the ongoing probe into the Air India flight AI171 crash, Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of deceased pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has moved the Supreme Court seeking a judicially monitored inquiry into the tragedy that killed 260 people, including 241 passengers.

Petition Seeks Court-Monitored Committee

The writ petition, jointly filed on October 10 by Pushkaraj Sabharwal (91) and the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), urges the top court to form a Court-Monitored Committee or Court of Inquiry, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and assisted by independent aviation and technical experts.

The petition also demands that all previous investigations by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) be declared closed, with all materials, data, and records handed over to the proposed judicial committee for an impartial examination.

Allegations of Bias and Pilot-Blame Narrative

According to the petitioners, the ongoing investigation has been “compromised by bias” and built around a “pilot-blame narrative”, without adequately exploring possible design-level faults in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The plea further claims that the conduct of the investigation violates India’s obligations under ICAO Annex 13, which mandates fair and independent accident inquiries.

Family Questions AAIB’s Preliminary Report

Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of the late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was piloting the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, had earlier written to the Civil Aviation Secretary and the AAIB Director General, demanding a formal probe under Rule 12 of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.

The rule empowers the Central government to order a formal investigation if it considers such action necessary.

In his letter dated August 29, Sabharwal condemned “selective media leaks” implying that his son was under psychological stress or suicidal. “These innuendos have deeply affected my health and caused irreparable damage to my son’s reputation,” he wrote, noting that his son had a spotless 25-year flying record, over 15,000 flight hours, and served as a Line Training Captain on the Dreamliner fleet.

AAIB Findings Under Scrutiny

Sabharwal described the AAIB’s preliminary report (July 12) as “deficient, diversionary, and discrepant,” alleging that it ignored crucial evidence while offering “copious clean chits” to the aircraft manufacturer.

According to the report, fuel supply to both engines was cut off within a second of each other shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The cockpit voice recorder reportedly captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?”, to which the other replied, “I did not.”

Amid speculation, the AAIB stated that it was too early to draw conclusions, stressing that the final report would determine the root cause of the accident. The Bureau also urged the public and media to refrain from spreading unverified theories.

Call for Accountability

The petition underscores the need for judicial oversight to restore public confidence in aviation safety investigations. It seeks to ensure that accountability extends beyond the flight crew to include potential technical, design, and regulatory lapses.