Air India crash pilot's father vows to defend son's reputation
Summary
The father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the senior pilot who died in the Air India Flight 171 crash last June, has promised to protect his son's reputation as investigators prepare to release updated findings. The crash, which killed at least 260 people, occurred shortly after takeoff, and while preliminary reports showed engine fuel switches moved to "cut-off," no fault has been officially assigned to the pilots.Key Facts
- Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the senior pilot on Air India Flight 171 that crashed in June 2025.
- The crash happened seconds after the plane took off from Ahmedabad, India, killing at least 260 people onboard.
- Early investigation showed the fuel control switches for both engines were set to "cut-off" shortly after takeoff, stopping fuel flow to the engines.
- Cockpit recordings captured a discussion about the fuel cut-off, but investigators have not confirmed which pilot spoke or whether the action was intentional.
- Media reports suggested the senior pilot might be responsible, causing backlash from pilots’ groups and calls for fair investigation.
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau criticized selective media reports as irresponsible and premature.
- Captain Sabharwal’s father sought an independent investigation and the Supreme Court ruled there was no initial suggestion of the pilot’s fault.
- Captain Sabharwal was an experienced pilot with over 30 years flying and 15,600 hours logged.
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