Air India Investigation Highlights Tensions Between Indians and Americans

Indian and American aviation investigators reportedly clashed during the probe into the Air India AI 171 crash near Ahmedabad on June 12. According to a recent report, tensions arose over where to decode the Black Boxes. American officials refused to travel to the remote Korwa facility in Uttar Pradesh, proposed by India, citing safety concerns and security warnings, insisting instead that the decoding be done in either Delhi or Washington. This led to high-level coordination and pressure from U.S. officials to keep the process in Delhi.

The report indicated sustained mistrust, miscommunication, and process differences between India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and U.S. officials. The AAIB’s chief, G.V.G. Yugandhar, is reported to have affirmed India’s technical capabilities, stating that India is fully capable of handling complex investigations.

American experts were also frustrated with restrictions at the crash site, delayed data access, and the phased manner in which the Indian team conducted the probe. U.S. investigators were unable to initially photograph the wreckage and questioned why the decoding of Black Box data wasn’t prioritized sooner.

Data from the Black Boxes revealed that someone in the cockpit had manually activated the switches to cut off engine fuel, and then reversed them about 10 seconds later. One pilot reportedly questioned the other about these actions, but no clear conclusion was reached on whether the act was accidental or intentional. Evidence suggested the captain might have activated the switches, but this remains uncertain.

The limited release of official information sparked rumors and AI-generated misinformation online, adding to the confusion surrounding the crash details.

AI 171 crash, Black Box decoding, India-US investigation, aviation safety, cockpit fuel switches