NEW DELHI, Sept 22 – The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to explain how they intend to ensure a “free, fair, impartial and expeditious” investigation into the June 12 Air India plane crash in Gujarat that killed 260 people, including passengers, crew and residents on the ground.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotishwar Singh issued notices to the Centre and DGCA, directing them to file their responses within two weeks. The order came on a petition by the Safety Matters Foundation, which sought a court-monitored probe by an independent investigator.
The court termed it “unfortunate” that DGCA’s preliminary report appeared to pin blame on one of the pilots for allegedly moving the fuel control switches from “RUN” to “CUTOFF” seconds after takeoff, leading to a loss of thrust. “Privacy and dignity must be respected, because even though the pilots are no more, their families are still there and will be affected by such leaks,” the bench said.
During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, argued that more than 100 days after the tragedy, there was still “no clarity on what happened, why it happened and what precautions are to be taken.” He alleged a conflict of interest in the probe panel, pointing out that three of its five members were DGCA officials, even though the authority itself faced allegations of negligence.
The bench agreed on the need for impartiality but cautioned against full public disclosure of evidence before the inquiry concludes. “You want an impartial inquiry, and we understand it. But why do you want everything to come in the public domain?” the judges asked, rejecting Bhushan’s request to release the flight data recorder. They warned that premature leaks could distort facts and be exploited by rival airlines.
The court stressed that air accident investigations must be “completed expeditiously” to prevent rumours and misrepresentation. However, it clarified that the current notice was restricted to ensuring fairness in the process, not to consider public release of probe materials.
Air India Flight AI-171, bound for London, crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 229 passengers, 12 crew members and 19 people on the ground. Survivors sustained serious injuries.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India is leading the probe, with support from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Boeing representatives. DGCA’s preliminary findings cited both engine fuel switches moving to “CUTOFF,” triggering automatic deployment of the Ram Air Turbine. One engine began to recover, but the aircraft failed to regain altitude.
The petition also pointed to a 2018 US FAA advisory that had warned of possible disengagement of the fuel control switch lock in the same aircraft type, but noted that compliance had not been enforced in India.
“The importance of this petition lies not only in seeking answers for the present disaster but in safeguarding the lives of countless others who continue to fly with the belief that the skies are secure,” the foundation said. (Agencies)
