VOI World/ Desk
India’s investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 has entered a key phase, with aircraft accident experts preparing to travel to the United States for detailed analysis of cockpit voice recordings and flight data. Officials said the work will take place at facilities operated by the US National Transportation Safety Board, marking the final technical stage before the investigation report is completed. The development reflects continued cooperation on the India US AI171 crash probe, which is expected to conclude before the June 2026 deadline.
The Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau will study audio recordings to understand whether fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner moved from the run position to cut-off shortly after take-off. Preliminary findings released on July 12 indicated the engines shut down when the switches transitioned to the off position, with one pilot heard noting the loss of fuel supply and the other denying involvement. The report did not identify the speakers.
Officials said the US facility can correlate cockpit sounds with flight data to map crew actions, switch movements and warnings in the seconds before the aircraft went down after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the passengers. The health and maintenance history of the recovered fuel switches will also be assessed during the visit.
In parallel, a UK coroner has warned that mortuary staff in London were exposed to hazardous gases when handling the coffins of British victims repatriated from the same crash. The coroner said the coffins contained “dangerously high” levels of formalin, used to preserve remains, and that carbon monoxide and cyanide were also detected. The report called for measures to protect mortuary workers from similar risks in future cases linked to international incidents. Authorities in India and the UK are expected to exchange information as the India US AI171 crash probe progresses toward final findings.
