AI-171 Crash Probe Faces Fresh Questions After AAIB Says No Approval Was Given for Pilot Family Visit
New questions have emerged in the investigation into the Air India AI-171 crash after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) stated that it has no record authorising a visit to the home of the late pilot Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal's father during the course of the probe.
The revelation came through a Right to Information (RTI) reply, which indicated that the agency could not identify any official order permitting investigators or associated personnel to meet the pilot's family in August 2025.
The development has sparked debate within sections of the aviation community, as reports of the visit had previously surfaced and were linked to discussions about possible causes of the crash while the investigation was still underway.
According to details cited in the RTI application, the meeting allegedly took place at the residence of Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the pilot's father and a former aviation regulator. During the interaction, individuals who reportedly identified themselves as being connected to the investigation are said to have discussed theories related to the crash.
The AAIB's latest response has now shifted attention from the content of those discussions to the circumstances surrounding the visit itself. Aviation professionals have questioned who sanctioned the meeting if no formal authorisation existed in official records.
The RTI response has also triggered criticism from some pilot groups, which argue that discussing possible causes of an accident with a bereaved family member before the completion of the investigation would be inappropriate. They have called for greater clarity regarding the identities, roles and authority of those involved in the visit.
Adding to the controversy, the AAIB reportedly declined to disclose details regarding the qualifications and professional backgrounds of members associated with the investigation team, citing privacy provisions under the law.
The agency has not publicly commented further on the issue, and responses from individuals named in connection with the reported visit were not immediately available.
