Air India Crash: AAIB To Release Preliminary Report Next Week — Profit Exclusive

The preliminary investigation report on the Air India flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad — the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade — is expected to be released by July 11, according to people familiar with the matter.

The document, which is likely to be four to five pages long, will offer the first official insights into the circumstances surrounding the incident that killed at least 275 people, including 241 on board the flight. The report would be filed by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, who is leading the probe.

Sources indicate that the report will entail key details such as the aircraft involved, which was a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, crew information, aerodrome conditions, and weather data at the time of the crash on June 12. It is also expected to provide preliminary findings on the wreckage, including the extent of damage to engines and the air frame, which are critical in understanding the sequence of events leading to the accident.

More importantly, the report is also expected to disclose the name of the investigator InCharge for the first time. Further, it is expected to detail the progress made so far, including the analysis of available evidence and any identified areas requiring further investigation, sources told NDTV Profit.

As a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organization conventions, India is obliged to submit a preliminary investigation report within 30 days of the accident, with the final report ideally completed and made public within 12 months.

While the exact contents of the report remain confidential until publication, aviation safety experts emphasise that such preliminary reports are crucial in guiding further investigative steps and enhancing safety measures to prevent future incidents.

Following the Air India Flight 171 crash, critics have raised concerns about the investigation, particularly the lack of transparency in the process and delays in retrieving as well as analysing crucial black box data.

While authorities have confirmed that the investigation is considering all angles, including possible sabotage, the delay in official communication has fuelled speculation and anxiety among experts as well as the public.

Some experts have also questioned the decision to disallow ICAO to join the probe. However, it is learnt that the government has agreed to a proposal by the UN's aviation agency to appoint an observer for the ongoing investigation into the crash.

Moreover, multiple international agencies are conducting independent investigations alongside India's AIIB. These agencies include the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Sources say teams from Boeing and Air India are also assisting agencies in the probe.

Boeing 787 aircraft have two combined black box sets, each with the joint functions of Cockpit Voice Recorder and Digital Flight Data Recorder.

Experts say that the combined black box is called an Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder, and regulations require two units to be located in the aircraft — one at the front and one at the aft, or rear section — for redundancy, in case one unit is significantly damaged or never recovered.

The two EAFRs were recovered on separate days, one from the rooftop of a building at the crash site on June 13 and the other from the debris on June 16, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement. Only a week later, on June 24, these recorders were moved to AAIB's lab in New Delhi. The ministry, however, didn't give any reason for the delay.

The preliminary findings of such a high-profile crash will be crucial for all stakeholders including Air India, Boeing and GE Aerospace.