Air India crash probe report may cite cockpit audio suggesting fuel switch was moved intentionally, according to Italian media claims.
NEW DELHI: Air India crash probe report is expected to reference new findings suggesting a pilot may have intentionally moved the aircraft’s fuel switches before the fatal crash of Flight AI 171, according to claims published by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
The report states that Indian investigators are preparing to conclude in their final findings that one of the pilots turned the fuel control switches from RUN to CUTOFF in an act described as “almost certainly” intentional. The crash occurred in June 2025 shortly after take off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people including passengers and individuals on the ground.
According to the Italian publication, investigators found no evidence of technical malfunction in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The findings reportedly rely on cockpit voice recordings that were cleaned of background noise during analysis at the US National Transportation Safety Board laboratories in Washington.
The Air India crash probe report has not yet been officially released, and it remains unclear whether the final document will directly assign responsibility. The aircraft’s pilot commander, Sumeet Sabharwal, who died in the crash, has been mentioned in the media report.
Indian pilots’ associations and Sabharwal’s family have criticised attempts to attribute blame solely to the crew, calling for further scrutiny of the aircraft manufacturer, airline procedures and systemic factors.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the civil aviation ministry have not issued formal comments on the media claims. The Air India crash probe report remains under review as the Supreme Court of India has sought a progress update on the investigation.
