Preliminary report on AI crash likely by July 10

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is handling the investigation of the Air India crash that killed at least 270 people, is likely to prepare a preliminary investigation report most likely by July 10.

As per sources, the report will include key information about the aircraft, a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, as well as details about the crew, weather conditions and the situation at the Ahmedabad airport on June 12, when flight AI 171 went down just 30 seconds after takeoff.

The report will also mention the condition of the wreckage, the investigator leading the probe and outline the steps taken so far. It will point to what still needs to be examined and which areas require further scrutiny.

According to international rules set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), India is required to release a preliminary report within 30 days of such an incident.

The June 12 crash claimed 274 lives — 243 on board and 31 on the ground — making it one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent history.

The AAIB is leading the probe, with multiple agencies assisting. Investigators have recovered and are now analysing the plane’s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), retrieved separately from the wreckage in the days following the crash.