Pilot's Father Seeks Supreme Court Inquiry into Crash

Pilot's Father Seeks Supreme Court Inquiry into Crash

NEW DELHI: Pushkaraj Sabharwal, the father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has approached the Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry into the Air India flight AI171 crash that occurred in Ahmedabad on June 12. The crash, which took place shortly after takeoff, resulted in the deaths of 260 people, including 242 on board and 19 on the ground.

In his petition filed on October 10, Sabharwal, aged 91, has requested that a retired Supreme Court judge lead the investigation, supported by independent aviation experts. He emphasized the need for a fair, transparent, and technically sound inquiry, stating that the current investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is “defective, biased, and incomplete.”

The Supreme Court had previously expressed concerns regarding the AAIB's preliminary report, which suggested pilot error as a primary cause of the crash. The court issued notices to the Centre and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in response to calls for an independent investigation. Sabharwal's petition argues that the ongoing probe unfairly targets the deceased pilots, undermining their reputations and failing to address potential technical failures that may have contributed to the accident.

The crash involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was en route to London Gatwick. It crashed shortly after takeoff, impacting a hostel near the airport. The petition highlights that Captain Sumeet had an exemplary flying record, with over 30 years of experience and more than 15,000 hours of incident-free flying.

Sabharwal's plea also points out inconsistencies in the AAIB's findings, particularly regarding the engine fuel control switches, which were reported to have moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” in a manner deemed implausible during takeoff. The petition seeks to set aside the current investigation and transfer all relevant records to a new committee for a thorough examination.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the petition after the Deepavali vacation, as calls for accountability and a comprehensive investigation into this tragic incident continue to grow.