As India mourns the 260 people killed in the Air India crash at Ahmedabad in 2025, an interim investigation report into what caused the fatal tragedy will be released on Friday. The incident occurred when a London-bound Air India flight crashed into a building just outside the international airport, killing all except one passenger. Along with the 241 passengers, 19 people on the ground also perished when the aircraft, carrying a huge quantity of aviation turbine fuel, erupted into a fireball.
Some reports attribute it to human error, while others suspect a technical fault or a malfunction in the aircraft's systems.
In July 2025, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report, which said that seconds after takeoff, both fuel control switches in the cockpit were moved from the "RUN" position to the "CUTOFF" position. This cut off fuel supply to both engines, and the plane lost power almost immediately. Subsequently, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into buildings near Ahmedabad airport. Though the switches were later returned to "RUN" mode and the pilots attempted to restart the engines, the plane had already reached such a low altitude that it was beyond rescuing.
However, the final report into the tragedy is still pending. The probe is now being carried out by the experts from the US and the UK, and India. This is because the aircraft was a Boeing and the engines were from the American company GE. The process of technical examination of the engines, various tests, and consultation with international experts is still ongoing, with investigators conducting engine testing in April and visiting France last month as part of an analysis of the engine management unit.
What’s causing the delay
According to sources, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is awaiting an analysis report from engine manufacturer GE Aerospace. Both engines of the ill-fated Boeing 787 have been sent to GE Aerospace's facility in Ohio, USA, for examination. According to officials, the engines were burned and damaged, but largely intact. A final report cannot be issued until this investigation is complete.
While one official says the inspection of engines could take time, as they require very detailed and specialised testing. GE Aerospace has not yet indicated when its analysis will be complete, so it is difficult to predict when the report will be released.
Interim report likely today
The final report into the crash was expected within three months once studies of the engines were concluded. But an interim report is likely today as per the international rules, which stipulate that if investigations take longer, an interim statement should be issued on each anniversary.
According to reports, Indian officials were preparing an interim report, but its release has been opposed in some quarters, notably by the Federation of Indian Pilots union. The
The union has previously pushed for investigators to seek more technical data on the plane from Boeing and Air India to allow for a "rebuttal of the pilot suicide theory being explored by the AAIB".
"It will cause more speculation and more misunderstanding," CS Randhawa, the union's president, told reporters on Wednesday.
