US investigators nearly withdrew from Air India crash probe over transparency issues

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US investigators nearly withdrew from Air India crash probe over transparency issues

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Air India | Official Website

By Sky Industry News

Jul 15, 2025

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) considered withdrawing from the Air India Flight 171 crash investigation due to slow progress and a lack of transparency. Indian authorities have delayed releasing key information about the crash, which occurred over a month ago. Accessing data from the aircraft's black boxes took longer than expected.

The crash is believed to have been caused by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel control switches being turned off, depriving the engines of fuel during takeoff and climb. It remains unclear if this was deliberate, an error, or a technical fault.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report on the June 12 accident within ICAO's 30-day guidance. However, US investigators were frustrated with Indian authorities' reticence regarding investigation details. The AAIB initially planned to transport the plane's black boxes away from Delhi but eventually processed them in Delhi with NTSB assistance.

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"At one point, the NTSB threatened to withdraw American resources from the investigation," reported The Wall Street Journal. "In the end, American investigators remained in the country to assist."

Families of victims onboard Air India Flight 171 have criticized delays in inquiry progress and demanded access to cockpit voice recordings. Relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee, and their daughter Sara Nanabawa stated they seek "honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the full truth."

Following retrieval of black box data, speculation around pilot suicide has emerged due to fuel switches being moved moments after takeoff. Pilot unions in India criticized such speculation as premature and irresponsible without complete evidence.

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-I) rejected presumptions about pilot intent and called for a fact-centered inquiry. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) stated there is no basis for serious allegations at this stage.

Cockpit voice recorder data revealed pilots Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder discussed why switches were turned off during flight.