Italian Report Claims Pilot Action Likely Behind 2025 Air India Ahmedabad Crash

As the Supreme Court sought an update on the investigation into the June 2025 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, an Italian newspaper published fresh claims suggesting the disaster may have been caused by deliberate pilot action. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as Air India Flight 171, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and crew and 19 people on the ground.

According to Corriere della Sera, investigators are preparing to state in the final report that one of the pilots turned off the aircraft’s fuel switches in an act described as “almost certainly intentional.” The newspaper cited aviation agency sources who said no technical faults were found in the aircraft, strengthening the case for human involvement.

The report claimed that enhanced cockpit voice recordings helped investigators determine which pilot moved the fuel control from “RUN” to “CUTOFF.” While it remains unclear whether the final report will formally assign blame, the focus is reportedly on the flight’s captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, who died in the crash.

The aircraft lost thrust from both engines moments after takeoff and plunged into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad. Investigators re-examined black box data in Washington in December 2025, with particular attention to cleaned audio recordings. The Italian daily said the analysis ruled out the possibility of an accidental error and indicated a sequence in which the left engine shut down first, followed by the right.

The report also noted differences between the control inputs of the two pilots in the final seconds, suggesting the first officer attempted to recover altitude while the captain’s controls remained inactive. Simulator tests conducted by US experts reportedly failed to reproduce a scenario where both engines shut down due to mechanical failure alone.

Pilot associations and the captain’s family have criticised what they view as an attempt to single out an individual, calling instead for closer scrutiny of the aircraft manufacturer, airline procedures and other contributing factors. Indian authorities, including the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the civil aviation ministry, have not commented on the report.

Separately, the Supreme Court asked the AAIB to submit a progress report within three weeks, cautioning against speculation and stressing that conclusions should not be drawn prematurely. The court acknowledged the concerns of victims’ families and emphasised that the investigation should not turn into a blame game among stakeholders.